Time to keep calm and deliver Brexit

The UK Government’s handling of Brexit negotiations had, up until last week at least, done very little to inspire confidence. Until Theresa May’s night of negotiations there had been little sign of any kind of a breakthrough – or of a coherent strategy to find one.

Thankfully, she emerged tired but happy from the latest round of talks to say there were – at last – reasons for “optimism”.

One can only imagine, then, she may not have been too thrilled to hear the Brexit secretary (that is the man charged with guiding the UK through the Byzantine complexities associated with extraction from the EU) saying he does not have to be very clever.

Interviewed yesterday David Davis instead insisted he merely needs to “keep calm”.

“I don’t have to be very clever, I don’t have to know that much,” he explained.

They might not be in the job requirement, but one rather imagines they would be desirable qualities all the same.

Mr Davis also said he doesn’t believe in economic forecasts – just as well given there don’t seem to be any.

Despite such apparently unguarded comments there is a scintilla of hope on the horizon.

He may not have to be clever, but Mr Davis will certainly need to keep his wits about him – as will all of those charged with seeing Brexit through.