Can Hunt make an economic case strong enough to supersede the political one?

As trade wonk Sam Lowe pointed on Twitter, the “UK debate [is] suffering from everyone having actually spent five or so years pouring over every little Brexit detail. So when someone says “Swiss-style” relationship, rather than hearing “a slightly better relationship than now” everyone is like “LET ME GET MY NOTES”.

In short: the wounds from the Brexit wars are yet to fully heal. Poking them now may lead to them opening up again. Many pro-Remain MPs left the Commons in 2019 – but not all of them did, and many of the Leave-supporting ones are still in post. As you may remember, the latest Tory intake also had to sign a Brexit pledge in order to be able to stand for the party.

Maddeningly frustrating as it may be, this iteration of the House of Commons just doesn’t feel like the one able to change course even slightly. Bringing the B-word back into the forefront of people’s minds will achieve little, and probably cause untold damage.

The Conservative Party is already bitter and split as it is; this could make it break. The Labour side probably wouldn’t have it quite as bad but it is fair to say they aren’t jumping with excitement at the prospect either. Given the state the country is currently in, making parliament more sanguine and divided again doesn’t feel like a price worth paying, at least not yet.

That doesn’t mean Britain should never seek to get closer to the EU again. It just needs to bide its time. As any couple who broke up but managed to stay friends in the long run can tell you, sometimes you need to stay apart for a while before attempting to reset the relationship.

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