Jeremy’s ‘different view’ is spectacular ... if your head is in the clouds

Certain Tories have taken a lot of stick for suggesting Brexit would be a walk in the park. For example, Liam Fox, who boasted that a trade deal with the EU “should be one of the easiest in human history”. Or John Redwood, who assured us that leaving the EU “can be quick and easy – the UK holds most of the cards in any negotiation”. Or David Davis, who promised that “within two years” of the referendum the UK could “negotiate a free trade area massively larger than the EU”.

But they aren’t the only ones who seem to think Theresa May’s job is easy.

Jeremy Corbyn seems to think so, too. As Sophy Ridge of Sky News pointed out to him on Sunday, the EU’S Jean-claude Juncker has said Britain was only ever going to be offered a deal less “advantageous” than membership. To which Mr Corbyn blithely replied: “Well, that was his view. We have a different view.”

At PMQS yesterday, the Labour leader sounded even more cocksure. If the Government couldn’t negotiate a better deal, he crowed, “they should make way for those who can!”

By which, presumably, he meant himself. Yes, Mr Corbyn genuinely does appear to believe that, with just four months to go before Brexit, he has time not only to win a general election, but to swan over to Brussels and effortlessly cut a deal that satisfies everyone. I wonder how he imagines his talks would go.

Corbyn: “Morning, all. Let’s keep this quick, I’ve got a lunch with the Brussels branch of the Union of Bolivian Butterfly Farmers. What I want is a deal that gives Britain all the benefits of being in the EU, without any of the obligations.”

Eurocrat 1: “Wow. Monsieur Corbyn, this is the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for.”

Eurocrat 2: “From our point of view, it sounds like a bargain.”

Eurocrat 3: “Are you sure that’s enough for you, Monsieur Corbyn? All the benefits, without any of the obligations? Is there nothing else we can offer on top?”

Eurocrat 1: “I’ll tell you what, Monsieur Corbyn: we’ll throw in a little sweetener. How about we give the UK, say, £39billion?”

Eurocrat 2: “I’m sorry it doesn’t sound much, Monsieur Corbyn, but we’re doing all we can. You see, nothing would delight us more than if the UK was seen to be better off outside the EU than it was inside. And if that prompted other countries to leave, and the whole EU to collapse before our eyes … well, not to worry! We ‘had a good innings’, as I believe you say in ‘Blighty’!”

At PMQS, Mrs May sounded less convinced of Mr Corbyn’s chances. “Never mind a second referendum,” she snorted, “he hasn’t got the first clue!”

I wonder whether there’s a part of her, a tiny part, that would secretly love Mr Corbyn to win an election tomorrow.

If he thinks it’s so easy … let him prove it.