BLAIR AND THE SECOND VOTE

Tony Blair may not be the best person to front a drive for a second referendum but on Brexit he is often right. Speaking on breakfast TV (HERE) he says the question on a second vote should be a straight choice between leaving with no deal or remaining. Brexiteers will complain this is just a re-run of the 2016 referendum and to an extent they would be right.

But voters were misled into thinking there was a middle way. The have-cake-and-it eat-it solution that BoJo and plenty of other Brexiteers advocated and suggested was achievable. A deal that would allow us to continue to trade with the EU single market as we do now while at the same time breaking free of the EU's political structures, regulations and the four freedoms. I think if nothing else, the last eighteen months has shown this is impossible. We are either in or out.

Theresa May's deal is one that tries to keep us as close as possible to the EU and preserve as many jobs and as much of the economy as we can. It means following most of the rules of the single market but having no say in drafting them. It is as close to being in as makes no difference. It falls short of the EEA, but not really by very much. Both are forms of vassalage that I don't believe the British people would accept.

If you believe there is no such thing as an acceptable middle way, what is the point of offering it as an option?

So, Blair is right. Now we know the real options are in or out, with all of the implications for the economy, the people should be asked to confirm which of the two binary options they prefer.

Is it to become completely separate, aloof from the EU with a serious reduction in trade both ways with all the loss of jobs, wealth, tax revenues which that entails? The government's own figures indicate a drop of 9.3% of GDP by 2030.

Or do we continue to sit around the top table to argue our case, persuade and influence the rules that most Europeans live by?

We cannot have it both ways.  The fantasies are dying and only the people can decide which way to go. If the electorate is stupid enough to knowingly vote to make the nation poorer the government must take us out. But we will do it with our eyes open and when the slow burning disaster affects us all at least remainers will be able to say we did our best. Leavers will have to shoulder the blame.