Brexit Britain on brink of disaster

IF it was not obvious to Theresa May before Salzburg, it was pretty obvious now – her Chequers plan is dead.

It was rejected by her own party before it was out the door of the Prime Ministerial country estate it is named after.

It was rejected by an orchestra of EU leaders and it was mishandled by Downing Street strategists who were alone in thinking May’s personal political charm would somehow persuade them otherwise.

The humiliated Prime Minister was left yesterday making a shrill and aggressive response of someone who is out of options.

May’s rhetoric is now pitched to feed the little Englanders of the European Reform Group and not the nation she has ill-served.

She is trying to keep the Brexiteers at bay until she comes crawling back from the EU Summit in October with the EU terms – or the option of walking out with no deal at all. It’s an end game which would be an economic catastrophe.

But what are the alternatives? Labour at their party conference this coming week have a golden opportunity to set out a stall for how they would handle Brexit.

There are huge gains on offer, some 60 marginal seats. And a Commons majority would be Corbyn’s if he backs remaining in the EU, the least damaging of all options.

Taking that step would require backing a second referendum on the issue, offering the terms of Brexit to the voters.

Despite calls to do so, Corbyn will only keep a second referendum as a second choice to a general election.

In fact, he needs both to happen, as it is becoming increasingly clear that the only option for any government on Brexit is to think again.