It’s time for all MPs to put our country before their careers

THE last thing Britain needs now is a General Election. The most likely result of such a poll would be a country led by Jeremy Corbyn, not least because voters would punish the Government for forcing them to trudge yet again to the polling stations.

But important figures in the Tory Party are playing games which might easily lead to such an outcome, secretly plotting against the Prime Minister. This is foolhardy beyond belief. Whatever their opinions about Brexit, Mr Corbyn is not going to give them what they want.

The people of the United Kingdom are tired of being asked what to do by their MPs. Politicians have in most cases fought and struggled for years to win office and power. They should use it.

And that may involve a certain amount of thought, a certain amount of flexibility and a certain amount of courage.

It is clear that there is, at present, no parliamentary majority for any of the obvious or practicable compromises which would enable this country to leave the EU in good order.

An Election might seem the simplest solution, but there is no guarantee that a new Parliament would be any less deadlocked than this one. It might even lead to new proposals for a second referendum, a dangerous reopening of a clear democratic decision which could lead to dire consequences.

We are in this mess because far too many politicians have put the country last and party, or personal ambition, first. Trapped in their tiny Westminster echochamber, our leaders continue to debate as if this was a mere theoretical issue.

But it is not. Increasingly, it is dawning on Whitehall that a no-deal exit on March 29 could lead to serious problems, simply because so much of our international trade and transport is regulated by rules which will simply vanish after that date, and cannot be simply or quickly replaced.

If Chequers does not work, and it is increasingly plain that it will not, then Tory MPs – and sensible members of other parties too – have a duty to set aside ambition and political rancour, and find an exit from the EU that will implement the referendum result and keep Britain prosperous and safe.