[Mr. K]

Why do they actually need a deal to exit?

I mean it’s not like they are owed money from the EU- I think the EU wants them to PAY money to exit.

Tell them to go eff themselves.

[hanamizu]

Why do they actually need a deal to exit?

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If I’m following this right, and I may not be, the problem is the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. No one apparently wants to return to a hard border, but with Ireland remaining in the E.U. and N.I. leaving it what do they do? Goods and people are supposed to move freely within the E.U. but after the U.K. leaves there will have to be border controls on both. No problem for Great Britain, it’s an island.

But say a Frenchman or a French-made product goes to Ireland, no passport or customs required, then goes into Northern Ireland and from there goes to Britain. Somewhere, there will have to be passport/customs to deal with. Where? The UK/Ireland border or the NI/Britain “border”, remembering free movement of goods and people also applies within the U.K. And, of course goods and people can move in the opposite direction.

I believe this is what the argument is about. Of course the democrats are now saying they will ‘punish’ the U.K. if they get back into power if the U.K./Irish border is reestablished.

[Winniesboy]

This a future trade deal, not a deal to exit. The exit deal is already in place, but the transition arrangements it provides for end in December.

[Cronos]

The UK has already exited - as of 31 January 2020. Now the negotiations are about the future trade relationship.