James O'Brien likens Brexit to someone still wanting to use a gym but not paying any membership

As you might have noticed Brexit isn't going too well, with another round of negotiations grinding to a halt with no sign of a deal in sight.

On Friday, Michel Barnier warned the UK that negotiations risk ending in a no-deal situation and that talks are actually starting to go backwards between the two camps. An annoyed Barnier told reporters:

Too often this week, it felt as if we were going backwards more than forward.

Given the short time left ... today at this stage an agreement between the UK and the European Union seems unlikely. I still do not understand why we are wasting valuable time.

The UK's chief negotiator, David Frost, does not share this sentiment and believes that an "agreement is still possible" but did seem to agree with Barnier that "it will not be easy to achieve."

LBC Radio's James O'Brien, who has been one of the most vocal critics of Brexit in the UK for the past four years had a few thoughts on this story.

In a 10 minute monologue on Friday's edition of his show, O'Brien slammed the negotiators who thought that their tactics would prevail only to be left in a situation where they have to strike a deal within less than five months.

Never shy of using metaphors, O'Brien compared the negotiators to someone who still wants to use a gym despite no longer paying for the membership and a timely allegory about the NHS.

Another round of talks is falling apart because one side thinks that the other is going to bend to their every request and desire while the other side is more concerned about protecting the integrity and value of something they cherish than they are about the immediate financial impact of waving goodbye to a former member.

If I said to you let’s abolish the NHS and you said: ‘well it’s not perfect but I think we should keep it’, you’d say ‘No, we flipping won’t! 

What you’ve got is a negotiation ongoing between two camps, one of which thinks the other lot are idiots because they think it is a good idea to leave the European Union, which is why this is not landing.

We’re still asking to use the jacuzzi after we’ve stopped paying for the gym. We’re saying I know I’m not paying anymore and I know I’ve actually left but can I still use the changing rooms? And [the EU] is saying, ‘Don’t be silly’.'

You can watch O'Brien's full reaction here.

While Boris Johnson is currently on holiday in Scotland it is probably worth asking what happened to his 'oven-ready deal' that he couldn't stop banging on about during the election.