Boris Johnson’s remarks will resonate

In normal circumstances, Boris Johnson’s leaked remarks to a group of Conservative activists would precipitate his exit from the Cabinet. Many will agree with what the Foreign Secretary had to say. Prophecies of post-brexit doom are blown out of all proportion, he said; nevertheless there is an “argument” within the Government about how to leave, and the Brexit Britain ends up with might not be the one Brexiters want. “Unless you have the guts to go for the independent policy, you’re never going to get the economic benefits of Brexit.” This can easily be interpreted as a criticism of the prime minister.

These, however, are not normal circumstances. Consider the day the Government had yesterday. Theresa May and David Davis reportedly entered a negotiation over which negotiation stance should be taken with the EU: should the customs backstop arrangement be time limited or not? Mrs May and Mr Davis cooked up a fudge – the UK Government “expects” the backstop to last until the end of December 2021 at the latest – but here is proof that Brexiters are concerned that Britain is edging towards a compromise that will keep the country trapped within the orbit of the EU.

It’s also undeniable that Whitehall has not made plans for an alternative. Mr Johnson suggests Britain will only get what it asks and prepares imaginatively for.

Mrs May remains trapped by the consequences of the botched general election, whose anniversary falls today. So much is happening at once. In roughly the same timeframe as the G7 meeting and the next, crunch EU summit later this month, Mrs May also has to contend with the amendments made by peers to the EU Withdrawal Bill – many of which are designed to complicate matters and shift opinion towards a reversal of Brexit. It’s almost an ominious sign that Mrs May has flown out to Canada for the G7 – much can happen while prime ministers are away.

That said, Mrs May also has to answer the challenge effectively laid down by Mr Johnson in his remarks. She must reassure Brexiters that her Government understands what is required to get the best deal from Brussels but also what the possibilities are for trade if we leave in the right way. The sense of drift must end. We are exiting the EU, but to what purpose?

Mr Johnson, like many Tories, clearly yearns for some positivity and vision.