No way out…

The trauma of Brexit will go on endlessly; the major parties are split, the country is split. There is no way out and anyone who tells you otherwise is being untruthful.

These are the reasons:

1. There is no majority in the Commons for any Brexit solution; not a no-deal, Withdrawal Agreement, remain, Norway option, customs union, second vote or anything else.
2. It is unlikely the talks between Labour and the Conservatives will amount to anything. Most Tories will not accept even a temporary customs union, a deal on workers’ rights which ties the hand of future governments, let alone a second vote. Labour are wary of a second vote and are opposed to anything that doesn’t involve customs alignment and ultimately access to a single market. Labour also have no reason to bail Theresa May out.
3. There will be no imminent General Election. Electoral suicide for the Tories and DUP and may not even be attractive to Labour.
4. A new Tory leader, certainly inevitable this year (Theresa May I am afraid is finished), will not change any of the above calculations although their lack of legitimacy may bring an election closer. A Brexiteer will sow more division, a Remainer (that will be a Remainer who has changed their mind and campaigns for a relatively clean Brexit…) is unlikely to win but, if so, will also split the Tories. Neither option will create a majority solution in the Commons.
5. The revival of the Liberal Democrats in the local elections is promising but still largely tactical. Change UK or TIGs (who now cares?) have blown it.
6. In the European elections, despite polls suggesting a small Remain majority, Farage will triumph mostly at the expense of the Tories with the Remain parties ruining their chances since they can’t even form a Remain alliance for one pointless election.

We have a zombie government, a discredited political class and a divided public discourse which is corroding society. The country will be poorer for leaving the EU. We are already suffering a skills drain as EU citizens abandon the UK or are less attracted to come here.

Business is suffering in the black hole of not knowing when, if, or how we will leave the EU. Take the property sector, for example. Who would undertake major property deals in this vacuum?

Ignore growth figures and employment statistics. It is about the opportunity cost of what could have been had we not had this disruption.

Generational damage to this country by reckless politicians and our destructive decision to leave the EU is manifest everywhere. We need a new government, a General Election and a second vote. Actually no. We need a new political class of modern, outward facing leaders who are free from current obsessions and put the country before personal advancement.

You can see why many have had enough. That is probably 10 years away…