Government Approaches to EU negotiations

Nick Clegg explores possible approaches that the Government could take towards EU negotiations.

Nick Clegg MP, Lib Dem Spokesman on Brexit A powerful and consistent precedent has been set by successive UK governments whereby they lay out an approach to Parliament in advance of EU treaty negotiations. For an overview of the White Papers and motions published in advance of EU Intergovernmental Conferences (IGCs), which are the forums used to discuss and agree EU treaty changes, please click here www.libdems.org.uk/brexit-challenge-eu-negotiations.

While the negotiation of Brexit is not an identical process to the negotiation of a new treaty, the similarities are strong: big multilateral negotiations with significant public policy implications and the government has ambitions for the outcome. This shows why the current government has nothing to fear from being more open about the approach they will take with the Brexit negotiations. The public, and Parliament, can be informed of a direction without the government's hand becoming exposed or tied in anyway.