The most important skill in European politics is the ability to pretend that all is well. In London, Paris, Berlin and a dozen other capitals, the order of the day is continuing the series of polite lies that exculpate a generation of politicians from bearing responsibility for their failures.

The EU is preparing countermeasures in case of a no-deal scenario. Talks of a potential deal have however also been heating up this week. Brussels is preparing for a no-deal scenario as uncertainty persists about if and when a trade agreement between the European Union and U.