so perhaps someone can explain a couple of things to me:

1) this terrible, horrendous, utterly awful agreement that is a betrayal of our country and the Brexit vote etc etc etc - this lays out how we will leave, right? It says nothing about our long term relationship i.e. trade deals, with the EU which is what will really matter to us, right? So it is relevant only to the extent that it impacts our ability to agree a long term relationship that is as good as possible for the UK. Is that right?

2) I have seen a rather large number of seemingly educated people suggest that the UK could be stuck in a customs union for all perpetuity should the EU not allow us to leave. This is surely incorrect. The UK can do a hard Brexit any time it wants by simply no longer playing by EU rules, is that not correct?

The phrase much 'ado about nothing' comes to mind.