The German journalist chairing the economic forum in Berlin where Davis made a speech last week asked the first question afterwards (HERE). It summed up perfectly the insanity of Brexit. This was it:
The question was followed by a ten second burst of applause from the assembled captains of German industry. Davis' answer was a long and rambling one but in essence he says the EU is a political project - it was very limp. There is no real answer. I suspect for a lot of leavers Brexit was about Germany. They cannot bear to be in any group or community of nations where we aren't top dog. We didn't join the original European Coal and Steel Community because we thought we were better. But through hard work and determination Germany rose from utter disaster and ignominy to become the powerhouse of Europe. Brextremists cannot accept that we have made a virtually identical journey in the totally opposite direction. There is only a short distance to go to disaster and ignominy.
This is behind Brexit. Dean Acheson, US Secretary of State, in 1962 said Britain had lost an empire and had yet to find a role. We could have found a role as a leading power in the EU but politicians of both parties made that impossible by allowing the nation to fall behind in almost every conceivable way and constantly complaining about the EU. Brexit is an admission that we failed in Europe and we are now skulking off to try and find another role. But we will fail. Our problems are within ourselves. The old British exceptionalism and belief that we should be greater than we are will ensure we fail.
