I think we all realised that the EU would ask for some exhorbitant sum and we would offer peanuts. When Barnier/Juncker described progress as difficult and slow and David described the EU as being not being constructive,it was obviously about the money.
I have taken a different attitude of late....we should pay them as little as we can legally get away with and if they want an Irish border,let the EU pay for it.
Why have I a different attitude...I suspect the EU is desperately short of money,there were only 2 countries largely contributing,us and Germany....if they lose us without a hefty divorce payment they could be in real financial problems.
So if we crash out with no payment and the Irish border becomes their problem,they may take the attitude to keep us in,better to have £11billion per year than nothing...they may then start to give us a good deal to stay in.
In contrast if we give them loads of money it may be enough to save the EU and they will be pleased to see the back of us.
If they are keen for us to stay we may even leverage a few other things out of them,just depends on how desperate they are for the money.
The more we appear happy to crash out the more they are likely to do a deal to keep us in. Is Davis and May clever enough to play such a game,they must be aware of the state of the EU finances.
KudosDave