It had always been government’s belief that if it cld speak to the Member States rather than the Commission it wld get a better #Brexit deal. The UK, they thought, could divide & rule. Jeremy Hunt’s comments have put an end to that. #Brexit 
Comparing the #EU to the Soviet Union is the latest easily avoidable diplomatic error made by a cabinet minister. Hunt’s comments have lead to countries that used to be the UK’s best friends in the Council (like Estonia & Latvia) openly stating that he has insulted them. #Brexit
If the UK was to successfully divide & rule, it needed to keep its friends close. What it is doing is pushing them away. #Brexit
The Soviet comment will not only have gone down like a lead balloon Estonia & Latvia, but in Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia & Croatia as well, all consistent likeminded UK allies in the EU. #Brexit
If anyone was going to help the UK get a good deal, it was these countries. They will not help now. #Brexit
Nor will Romania & Bulgaria, whose positions will likely harden, and one can only imagine how Merkel & Tusk will react, both of whom have lived under Soviet rule, unlike Hunt. #Brexit
Add to this the fact that #Ireland stopped trusting the UK the minute David Davis dismissed the December ‘17 agreement on the border as non-binding and it becomes clear that the U.K. is losing friends fast. irishtimes.com/news/politics/…
These diplomatic missteps are making it much harder for the UK to reach a positive outcome in the negotiations. They are beyond clumsy & will have long term negative consequences for the UK’s future relationship with its neighbours in Europe. #Brexit
It is little wonder, therefore, that professional diplomats like @simonfraser100 & @LordRickettsP have rightly called the Hunt comments a shocking failure of judgement. #Brexit
Correction - Final tweet shld have read: It is little wonder, therefore, that professional diplomats like @SimonFraser00 & @LordRickettsP have rightly called the Hunt comments a shocking failure of judgement. #Brexit
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