YP Comment: Brexit is leaving a sour taste

WITH the Government floundering over whether it falls to Parliament or the Cabinet to trigger Article 50, and with Theresa May attempting to buy off Commons rebels by promising to set out a Brexit strategy of sorts before she starts negotiating with her EU counterparts, it's little wonder that the prevailing uncertainty is now encroaching upon day-to-day decision-making.

Take farming. It does make sense for Britain and EU to agree reciprocal arrangements which reflect the provenance of those truly distinct food specialities, like Wensleydale Cheese or French Camembert by way of example, so they are not undermined by those imitations which also fail the taste test.

The regret is that it will require political brinkmanship to ensure that the Protected Food Names scheme remains in place.

A foretaste of what it is to come when Mrs May, and Brexit Secretary David Davis, do finally get down to negotiations, it can only be hoped that there are healthy portions of common sense served in the coming months – or politicians from both Britain and the EU will be left eating large portions of humble pie.

Rather than the current stand-off between Britain and Brussels, officials should already be working tirelessly behind the scenes to establish those policy areas where there is consensus. If they do, both sides might be able to advance their objectives without leaving even more of a sour taste.

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