Thanks for the clarification between "access to" and "being in" the SM. I shall be more careful about my terminology in the future.

BTW. NI is still in the SM for goods, so it appears that there is some flexibility.

The problem with the UK accepting EU rules is political. Opinion polls indicate a willingness to take EU rules for greater access to the SM. For political reasons the government is afraid to do so.

I am in favour of the UK fully rejoining the EU. Norway, etc. suggests that there might be a way of gaining SM access as a stepping stone to rejoining. If you say that is not possible, then how have Norway etc. managed SM access while not being in the EU?

This is not true. Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway all participate in the EU Single Market by virtue of being in the EEA. The UK could do the same. Switzerland is not in the EU but has a series of bilateral agreements with the EU that allows it to participate in the single market.

We were told this during the Referendum. It was a lie then, and it is a lie now.

I agree, but the government needs to bebold and rejoin the Single Market and Customs Union. Gradual steps mean that the benefits will also be gradual and unlikely to be felt by those who feel left behind. With Reform snapping at Labour's heels, it doesn't have the time for a gradual approach.