“Another presenter stating that there was no country out of the EU who wishes to enter into a trade agreement with the EU, that does not also have to accept the free movement of EU citizens into their countries, quoting Norway and Switzerland.”
I take it the presenter neglected those tiny insignificant provinces such as er…the USA (trade negotiations ongoing for ten years, nowhere near completion) and Canada (ongoing for over five years, ditto). I assume “free movement” is the stumbling block in both cases.
“It is possible we could get into the EEA without agreeing to Schengen, but we are in a poor negotiating position.
EEA members pay EU membership fees (without any rebate), but do not have any say in policy or voting rights.”
Please read my multitudinous posts on the “Norwegian Model” and the EEA which I posted during the campaign, Gromit. It ain’t going to happen.
“The European Economic Area is seen as the back door into the single market,”
The EEA was designed as a “waiting room” for full EU membership. Norway’s electorate failed to give its government permission to join; Iceland’s government wisely withdrew its application. (Don’t know much about Liechtenstein. Drove through it once but dipped my headlights, so missed it).
“The UK, at least briefly, slipped back to 6th on Friday.”
Yes, very briefly. But that still left 186 (or thereabouts) below us.
"Doesn't mean anything unless it passes the number of votes cast on Thursday though."
Doesn't mean anything even then. The vote was on Thursday at the polling booths, not subsequently online. It is quite obvious that the 3 million "signatures" are all Remainers and they had their chance to influence the government on Thursday. Quite simply, they failed and there are no second chances.