So when the British came to terms with this harsh reality, they played out the lamentable end-game of their management of the negotiations with small-minded cheese-paring and logic-chopping offers, all designed primarily to safeguard narrow British interests, mainly at the expense of the new member states.
因此当英国人认清这种严酷的现实后，他们在谈判中抛出了鼠目寸光、强词夺理的可悲提议，目的主要是以牺牲新成员国的利益为代价，维护英国自身的狭隘利益。