The Guardian has an editorial (HERE) about what they call the "fatal delusion" of hard Brexiteers who see leaving the EU without a deal as an objective to be desired. Paradoxically, the imbecilic John Longworth has an article in The Telegraph saying it's now or never for a hard Brexit (HERE). He is precisely the kind of Brexiteer The Guardian editorial is aimed at. To imagine any government threatening to walk away is just ridiculous under any circumstances but this is particularly true with this government at this time.
The leak a few weeks ago of an official report on the consequences of a no deal exit set out the awful consequences with Dover blocked after one day and food shortages in a few days. This is to say nothing of companies going bust and people losing their jobs because of the impact on trade.
How would a government explain that they knew the consequences and still went ahead?
Governments often make mistakes through ignorance or incompetence but no government could survive a week if it's clear that they knowingly and deliberately threw the nation under the proverbial bus. Especially if it was for ideological reasons. The Guardian say the bluff wouldn't work anyway because the EU know it will damage the UK far more than the EU. Through the leaked report, we know it too.
No matter what the lunatic Brexiteers say, the no deal option is off the table and even suggesting it as a bluff won't work.
This is not to say that it isn't David Davis' strategy to threaten it at some stage. He is said to be behind the blocking of Dominic Grieve's amendment last week which would have effectively prevented the no-deal option by giving parliament the final say. If so, he should be careful. To threaten and then back down, as we would have to, makes you look ridiculous as well as weak.
