Biased Brexiteers

Clear evidence from many polls shows that a large majority now want a Norway-type customs union. These polls expose the bias of Brexiteer leaders who claimed all along that they alone were capable of interpreting the public’s wishes after the referendum.

“The will of the people” was quoted as the absolute moral standard with which parliament must comply. Apparently Brexiteers alone understood the mood of the huge majority (the 51 per cent). This justified their demand that only a complete break from Europe would do – they claimed wrongly that only a complete break would allow us freedom to negotiate new trade deals.

Look back and you will see that the referendum was never so clear-cut in its plans for Brexit. In the referendum, key campaigners promised that a Norway-type deal would be a good alternative to the status quo, which was deemed to be a state of subservience to Europe.

Of course, the line Brexiteers spun was that it would be easy to get Europe to agree a deal with us (one which also allowed us a complete break from European rules and regulations).

As the penny now drops and Europe rejects aspects of both Chequers and Canada, Theresa

May is stuck in the mire the Brexiteers created for her – trying to finesse a deal with a huge financial punishment clause (apparently more than the £39 billion she has conceded publicly) and trying to solve the Irish question.

Will we be better off from Day 1 as Michael Gove promised? The government admits that 10,000 financial jobs will be gone from Day 1. That also means a huge fall in the taxes we need for our welfare state.

Many “crisis managing agencies” will need to be ready for action in Day 1 (ask yourself why) and 50 per cent of our trade with Europe will quickly be put at risk.

Thank you, Mr Gove for your attempts to predict the effect of Brexit – but with your success rate one can suggest that retiring from politics might be your next best move.

ANDREW VASS Corbiehill Place, Edinburgh