#Brexit: Davis says 'Our destination is clear' - really?

The UK embarks on its historic negotiations to leave the European Union today (19 June) with the first official Brexit talks getting under way in Brussels at 11h. The starting gun was fired by Prime Minister Theresa May on 29 March, with a letter triggering Article 50, writes Catherine Feore.

Since then, May called a unnecessary general election which the Conservatives were expected to win with a landslide victory. Instead, the party lost 12 seats, placing it in precarious territory, and dependent on ten votes from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

May was described by the former-chancellor turned editor George Osbourne as a "dead woman walking" and there is an almost universal acknowledgement that she will have to go. However, May has been forced to limp on, as there are no contenders.

A YouGov poll carried out on 9-10 June suggests that most of the government’s front bench are unpalatable for the British public. The only Conservative who appears to be popular is the ‘Remain’ supporting leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson.

The UK team says that they travel to Belgium confident that they can achieve "a bold and ambitious deal that will work in the interest of the whole UK".

"Secretary of State David Davis aims to use the negotiations to build a new, deep and special partnership with the European Union" – this appears to be an early acknowledgement that there will be no discussions on the future before the EU-27’s red lines on the financial settlement, situation of EU citizens and the Ireland/Northern Ireland border issue are resolved.

Secretary of State for Exiting the EU David Davis is expected to say: “Today marks the start of negotiations that will shape the future of the European Union and the United Kingdom, and the lives of our citizens.

“We want both sides to emerge strong and prosperous, capable of projecting our shared European values, leading in the world, and demonstrating our resolve to protect the security of our citizens.

“I want to reiterate at the outset of these talks that the UK will remain a committed partner and ally of our friends across the Continent.

“And while there is a long road ahead, our destination is clear – a deep and special partnership between the UK and the EU. A deal like no other in history.

“I look forward to beginning work on that new future today.”

The opening of the negotiations will take place at the European Commission’s Berlaymont building in Brussels and will be a one-day event, starting at approximately 11h. Barnier and Davis will have lunch and then there will be four working groups to discuss the main issues: citizenship, the Northern Ireland border, the financial settlement and other questions.

The session will close in the late afternoon with a joint press conference by Davis and Michel Barnier.

Davis heads into tomorrow’s talks to leave the European Union on a mission to deliver on "the will of the British people". The language has changed from "Brexit means Brexit", to a "Red, White and Blue Brexit", "No deal is better than a bad deal" to a more measured post-election "open Brexit", to "no deal would be a very, very bad outcome for Britain".

Confused? You should be, because it is far from clear what the consolidated view of the government is and we start negotiations today!

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