Check out https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-officials-whitehall-department-no-deal-civil-servants-uk-eu-a8519361.html

The EU clearly dont want to give favorable terms to a leaving UK since they would then have to renegotiate with all other EU countries.  In fact stay or leave are the main two options. In 'stay' the UK can negotiate within the EU, and would have a good negotiating position if carefully argued..but the Independent article shows there is little weight behind such an idea.

Maybe brinkmanship is what May, Rees-Mogg, Johnson etc are doing so that the EU will eventually come to a deal? Maybe, too, they are taking their cue from their close friend Trump and his "Art of the Deal''. Bringing the USA to its knees, abandoning the international order, throwing away WTO rules etc. Seemed to work very well in North Korea...or did it?