But westward, look, the land is bright!

I seldom agree with much that Philip Collins has to say but, in a rare statement of pragmatic common-sense, he observes in his column today:

“Britain will leave the European Union in 2019 and, sad though that may be for the 48 per cent of the nation to hear, that is what 52 per cent of the nation wanted.”  Quite so.

But I have even less time for Matthew Parris who, like King Canute (his metaphor) refuses to accept the result of the referendum; presumably hoping that, eventually, his sickeningly self-righteous Euromania will be accepted by deluded Brexiteers and the referendum result reversed.  Parris has long since run out of credible arguments and has now taken to playing the men not the ball.  Likening anyone who supports leaving the EU to children (or “bloody fools” or “headbangers” take your pick), he expects the Prime Minister to indulge their (the children’s) naïve negotiating games knowing that the Brexit negotiations will end in tears and humiliation for Brexit supporters.  According to Parris, this is the only way to repair the “damaged mental processes” of the Brexiteers.  Following a period in the naughty corner eating humble pie, Parris generously hints that he could eventually forgive our naughtiness!

Listening to the reports of the negotiations in Brussels, the likely outcome does look like ending in stalemate.  Except it won’t come to that.  Long before Barnier and his team finally rule that not enough progress has been made on anything to allow discussion on anything else, the people who really matter, the businesses for whom trading arrangements are fundamental, will have made their views abundantly clear to their respective national elected leaders. For example, imagine Frau Merkel on the stump telling the voters of Stuttgart that the EU negotiating “process” can make no exception for German cars until Great Britain comes to its senses?

Far from playing games with Barnier, we need to stand up to him and remember that the aim, as reflected in the referendum result, is to leave the EU.  It is not good enough to compromise our negotiating position on the basis that some people, the minority, said don’t leave. Churchill quoted, when the tide appeared to be against him, "In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly, but westward, look, the land is bright."  He could see the possibilities of the future!