Welcome to F.T. Politics, a weekly podcast on British politics from the Financial Times.

I'm Jonathan Derbyshire, Executive Comment Editor, and in this episode we'll be discussing an

eventful week in the Brexit debate. Joining me to do this is Sarah Gordon the

F.T's business editor, Alex Barker, our Brussels Bureau Chief and Chief Political

Correspondent Jim Picard.

Thank you all for joining me.

The week began with the European Commission announcing that the ball is entirely in the UK's

court where the Brexit negotiations are concerned, and this despite Theresa May's insistence that, following

her Florence speech a few weeks ago, the onus is now on the EU 27.

Meanwhile, British business leaders raised concerns about the progress of talks on a transition,

with Sir Howard Davis, Chairman of RBS, suggesting that the flight of personnel and operations from London in several sectors is likely to accelerate if a transition is not agreed quickly.

The length of any transition remains a subject of fierce debate inside the Conservative Party,

as does the question of planning for a no-deal scenario.

A number of Tory MPs, including some cabinet ministers, have called

for the government to increase contingency spending on planning for an exit from the EU without

a deal. However, Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, told a Commons Committee that he was against spending just for the sake of making, quote, some demonstration point.

And if that wasn't enough, Mrs May was unable to give a clear answer when asked in a radio interview which way should vote in a new Brexit referendum.

Sarah Gordon, let me start with you. Businesses are clearly getting worried about the pace of negotiations and the length of any transition.

You argued in a column this week that the government should be using the time to set out priorities

for post-Brexit economic policy, but that it isn't doing this, and pan-glossian generality is about

seeking the best deal for all British business. What do you think it should be doing?

Well there are two separate answers to that. The first thing that it should be doing is making

...