THE PATHETIC MRS MAY

Mrs May is starting to look pathetic. She has now spoken to Merkel, Macron, Varadka, Juncker and Barnier and is planning to make another pitch to her other fellow EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday. And according to Reuters (HERE) she is likely to get nothing. If this fails to bring the Brexiteers to their senses we are lost. It must be obvious who the supplicant is. I can't see how anyone would think they need us more than we need them given the way she is having to make all the running, flying off at the drop of a hat to plead our case.

She will find it very difficult to concede more money and at the same avoid an almighty row with the lunatic right of her party. Her position is extremely fragile. But business is starting to make threats about relocating operations unless they have clarity about the future, or at least a legally watertight transition period. Otherwise they must plan for a disorderly exit on March 29th 2019.

But it's hard to believe men like Fox, Johnson, Cash, Redwood and others being happy to commit to more money. They genuinely believe we are in the stronger position. We are in a trial of strengthen. Who really has the upper hand? I think we know the answer, but there are plenty in the Conservative party who don't - yet.

The extremists on the right would destroy the EU in a moment if it meant more trade and I think they ascribe these beliefs to everyone else. The EU is not about to dismantle itself, as it would if it allowed members to break away and enjoy the benefits of the single market without the obligations, in order to continue frictionless trade with us. However valuable that trade is, the EU will not put the entire project at risk over it.