In all areas, the UK continues to backtrack.

The European Union argues that we should be subject to rules of the club that we have left.

The precondition is the level playing field.

We can deliver a real Brexit that achieves our objectives.

But if there is not a deal, we still need the Irish Protocol or the Northern Irish protocol fully implemented.

I'm going to miss being the pantomime villain.

Hello and welcome to Brexit Republic, RTE's weekly podcast on Brexit.

I'm Tony Connolly, RTE's Europe editor in Brussels.

I'm Sean Wheeler, RTE's correspondent in London.

And I'm Colombeau Mungain, RTE's Deputy Foreign Editor in Dublin. Each'm Sean Buehlin, RTE's correspondent in London. And I'm Colamo Mungain,

RTE's Deputy Foreign Editor in Dublin. Each week, Brexit Republic brings you all the latest developments from London, Brussels and here in Dublin. It's Friday afternoon and Michelle Barnier

says we are ours away from a deal. We'll have all the latest twist and turns in what looks

finally like the final week

of a four and a half year slog. Then again, we've been saying that for weeks now, but even if it

is Groundhog Day, we'll still have up-to-the-minute detail on where things stand on fisheries, on level

playing field, and how the EU's COVID recovery fund suddenly blew up into a last minute dispute.

And we'll assess the mood in London and on a rather long stretch of motorway down to Dover, which is currently filling up with lorries.

But first, Tony, to you, we left it last week on the mood in the aftermath of a dinner where even the ingredients were being examined

for some perceived or actual slight Ursula von der Leyen and Boris Johnson had dined on scallops,

turbot for the main course and wasabi on the side. I think did you say... Scallops with

pumpkin soup. Pumpkin soup, which you know I normally have it a

Wednesday night myself and yeah coconut cream ice cream but despite the glittering

...