The devil is in the detail when it comes to the Brexit trade deal – the sooner we all know it the better

Editorial: There has, so far, been little talk from the government about how the UK is supposed to make a success of its exit from the EU

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Contrary to the Eurosceptic notion of bloated Eurocrats loafing around Brussels even in working hours, Christmas Day saw an extraordinary amount of activity within the EU.

Officials and ambassadors from the 27 member states gathered together to go through the new partnership agreement with the UK. As Michel Barnier, Stephanie Riso and Ursula von der Leyen and the rest of the European Commission team had ensured that the states were thoroughly briefed throughout the process, there were no great surprises. That will make democratic approval across parliaments smoother.

The deal should be done, and there should be no veto; as an exercise in accountability, it is one of the EU’s better moments.