UK-EU Update: Glacial progress, policy fog to linger - RBS

Ross Walker, Research Analyst at RBS, suggests that the progress on the UK’s post-referendum EU strategy remains glacial.

Key Quotes 

“Civil service machinery continues to be reshaped and personnel reshuffled, but there has been scant development on policy and the negotiating strategy. Government statements have been largely confined to reiterating pre-existing positions and there remains little clarity around what ‘model’ the UK wants (let alone what it is likely to get).

The timing of the invocation of Article 50 remains hazy. Media reports suggest that government sources are briefing privately that early 2017 is the preferred date but the French Presidential elections could yet see this delayed until May or June. The issue of whether a parliamentary vote is required to trigger Article 50 has not been resolved definitively but we remain sceptical that MPs would over-rule the referendum decision. The autumn party conference season means more details are likely to emerge in the next few months.”