What on earth is the government doing? The clarity of the referendum two years ago appears to have become mired in a desperate – and futile – search to come up with a plan that the EU will like. That’s not what we voted for.
The tangle of detail and objections is designed to trap us in the EU net. It’s clear that the EU wants a bad deal that will deter any other country from leaving its fracturing club. So we must insist the government walk away from the table.
It’s clear, too, that our own political generals have no stomach for the fight. While the government is taking a “collaborative” approach to negotiations, the EU is just lapping up concession after concession. We run the risk of settling for an even more slavish relationship than before June 2016.
The “negotiations” are matched by lack of preparations for independence, such as building the necessary infrastructure to enforce control over our economy, borders and laws. In practice this amounts to sabotage.
And all the while parliament, with its massive majority of MPs who voted Remain, is promoting the sabotage, supported by the Lords. Both houses talk about constitution and sovereignty, but what they mean is that they are sovereign over the people.
Only the fact of the 17.4 million Leave voters – and no sign of regrets, in fact the opposite – holds them to any appearance of carrying out our decision. We must act, and act now.
Let’s return to the simplicity of our decision. Reinstate the red lines for Brexit. That would terrify the EU would-be masters. Only then can real negotiations begin – from the true position of British strength.
•A longer version of this article is available as Walk away