I’m happy that we seem to have read / heard different news reports. Fine - let’s see what happens.

Participating in a pan-European model that reduces red tape for supply chains would not (of course) in any way preclude exploring closer cooperation on defence and security.

I have a faint suspicion (which I do hope is misplaced) that the emphasis may again be on British exceptionalism (‘a tailor-made new deal just for us’) to the exclusion of participating in any existing model that the EU operates successfully with other third countries.

I mean: I’d just like to understand why - as with a youth mobility scheme that would benefit young Brits as well as young EU nationals - there seems to be a knee jerk reaction against such ideas when they are gently floated by the EU.