THE myth of co-operation or alliance between competing capitalist nation-states, promoted by champions of the EU and the UN has been exploded by the Brexit negotiations.

The war of words between Tory Brexit spokesman David Davis and EU negotiator Michel Barnier reveals the capitalist rivalries between Britain and 27 remaining EU members, and especially between Britain and Germany and France, who together dominate the E U.

The European Council on will be told by Barnier there is no agreement on the three key issues surrounding Brexit, namely:

  • Residency rights of EU and UK citizens after Brexit 
  • UK payment of a "divorce" settlement
  • A deal to avert a "hard border" between EU member, the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland

May's Tory Government is hopelessly split on the issue.

She made an unscheduled lightning trip to Brussels on October 16 to try to break the deadlock.

But her offer of 20 billion Euros was dismissed out of hand by EU leaders. Antonio Tajani, the European Parliament President, said May's offer was "peanuts," and said the EU expected closer to 50 and 60 billion Euros.

The target date for Brexit is supposed to be March 2019 but the Remain camp aims to make it impossible to leave at all, or to leave with the "no deal" option preferred by the anti-EU camp.

Competing capitalist nation-states can never arrive at any real cooperation or agreement.

It is a dog-eat-dog system with conflict and trade rivalry as endemic features.

James Roberts, Wallasey