The description that Oscar Wilde came up with to describe fox hunting could also just about be used to describe the current mess that the UK government finds itself with its hard core Brexiters. This group seems increasingly bent on forcing a total schism between the UK and the EU, despite the real economic and social dangers that this would entail. So feeble is the government’s position, reliant of the support of the pro-Brexit DUP that it dared not face down more extreme members of its own party recently (the ERG) when they pushed for what will be unworkable amendments to the customs and trade bill. These will prevent the UK for allowing any de facto change to the nominal borders in the nation (one suggestion for solving the border question in Northern Ireland was to move the border to the Irish Sea) and required that May’s preferred customs solution had to have reciprocal tax collection of tariffs by the EU and UK – a certain no flier.
The Chequers agreement on what the UK wants from Brexit is all but dead with cabinet and junior ranking ministers resigning in protest and complaints at the constituency party level that it concedes too much (although this is not a universal position). The EU has said that it could never allow a third nation to collect tariffs for it and ruled out doing so for the UK – no doubt to the delight of ERG.
A no deal Brexit could lead to major disruption at all ports and (freight) airports with major traffic jams building up and motorways in SE England being used as vast lorry parks. There are concerns that medicines and foodstuffs (certain types, at least) could end up in shortage and the government is drawing up contingency plans for such an eventuality.
Apart from a barmy few, nobody voted for the UK to have to consider food and medicine rationing. The Open Skies policy would end in the event on a no deal scenario, grounding aircraft, then there is the whole issue of mutual recognition of standards and qualifications which currently means, say, that a UK pilot’s licence is accepted throughout the EU – the same applies in many fields, but is in jeopardy if there is a hard schism.
A popular, non-partisan campaign is calling for a “Peoples’ Vote” on whatever deal, or the lack thereof, Mrs May can obtain from Brussels. The campaign says that an option to remain in the EU would be on the proposed ballot, but the government are steadfastly refusing to consider it. The dogma that Brexit is “the will of the people” was always a shaky premise since only 37% of the electorate ever backed the idea and opinions have been shifting ever since. Parliament is currently in recess and the thorny issue of Brexit will not return to the Commons until the autumn.