Brexit trade talks may be reduced to as little as 10 months

If phase two slips to the end of the year, “it is not a huge problem for the EU, they know in terms of timing they have the upper hand,” said Christian Odendahl, Berlin representative for the Centre for European Reform think-tank....Odendahl said it wouldn’t be a “particularly good strategy” for the British government to rely on the FDP to alter the course of Brexit. “The FDP is probably closest to what the British would like to have in the German government, but that is not saying that much,” he said, describing differences on Europe as “nuances”.

“Would they [the FDP] spend the precious few bargaining chips they have in changing Germany’s position or Europe’s position on Brexit? I don’t think that would be the case.”