Is it? I know we can paint it as one, and we will. Just forcing them to negotiate with us on this at all is, in some sense, an incredible step forward.

But I can't help feeling we've fallen into their trap. We tried to play by their rules and have now had to concede things to them in return, like our freedom is something to barter and buy piecemeal and not something we deserve the whole of without caveat. Why are we paying for something we are owed?