My Secret Brexit Diary. Michel Barnier

407

      422  408

      423  409

      424  410

      425  411

      426  412

      427  413

      428  414

      429  415

      430  416

      431  417

      432  418

      433  419

      434  420

      435 421

      436 422

      437 423

      438 424

      439 425

      440 426

      441 427

      442 428

      443 429

      444 430

      445 431

      446 432

      447 433

      448 434

      449 435

      450 436

      451 437

      452 438

      453 439

      454  440

      455  441

      456  442

      457  443

      458  444

      459  445

      460  446

      461  447

      462  448

      463  449

      464  450

      465  451

      466  452

      467  453

      468  454

      469  455

      470  456

Praise for My Secret Brexit Diary

      ‘If the treaties are the legal texts of the Brexit talks then this is the human version, revealing a Michel Barnier who is much warmer and far less diplomatic than his public persona. It’s a masterclass in how the EU operates, and a rare glimpse into the tensions on their side.’

      – Adam Fleming, Chief Political Correspondent, BBC News

      ‘For historians writing about the UK’s long and painful exit from the European Union, Michel Barnier’s account is essential reading. For anyone interested in Brexit, it offers a valuable guide to the EU’s negotiating strategy and the people who shaped it.’

      – Jennifer Rankin, Brussels Correspondent, The Guardian

      ‘This is a political thriller: 500 pages of twists and turns, advances and setbacks, taking place behind the scenes in an altogether extraordinary negotiation.’

      – Nicolas Demorand, France Inter

      ‘The former European chief negotiator has delivered his Brexit novel: a unique experience of four and a half years recounted day by day, in the theatre of the powerful with its noble aims and petty squabbles, its backtracking and its bluffs, its laughter and its tears, including very personal ones. And it’s absolutely riveting.’

      – Mathieu Laine, Les Échos

      ‘How did the European Union deal with the challenge of losing a leading member state? In this unique insider’s account, the EU’s chief negotiator reflects on the Brexit process, how it unfolded and how he managed the EU’s approach to the talks. Required reading for everyone interested in figuring out what happened and why.’

      – Anand Menon, King’s College, London

      ‘This book is required reading for anyone seriously interested in the exhausting saga of the Brexit negotiations, and it is good to have an English edition of what is undoubtedly an important historical document.’

      – Robert Tombs, University of Cambridge

MY SECRET BREXIT DIARY

      A Glorious Illusion

      Michel Barnier

       Translated by Robin Mackay

      polity

Copyright Page

      Originally published in French as La Grande Illusion. Journal secret du Brexit (2016–2020) © Éditions GALLIMARD, Paris, 2021

      This English edition © Polity Press, 2021

      Illustration 12 source: Ingram Pinn, 2018, ‘Taking Back Control’, Financial Times / FT.com. 27 July 2018. Used under licence from the Financial Times. All Rights Reserved.

      Polity Press

      65 Bridge Street

      Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK

      Polity Press

      101 Station Landing

      Suite 300

      Medford, MA 02155, USA

      All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

      ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-5086-9 (hardback)

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2021943873

      by Fakenham Prepress Solutions, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 8NL

      The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this book are correct and active at the time of going to press. However, the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate.

      Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition.

      For further information on Polity, visit our website: politybooks.com