Thel very large Commons majorities in favour of triggering Article 50 can be seen as honourable, constitutional ratification and vindication of the outcome of the Referendum, notwithstanding continuing efforts to reverse it. There is still some way to go, of course. I predicted (won a bet on) Referendum result, but was surprised at its closeness. On the basis of subsequent experience, however, if there were to be a re-run – without lies, exaggerations and unsupportable claims, but with clearer focus on the fundamental issue – I believe the ranks of the Leavers could well be augmented, e.g.by those who look for guidance to the Archbishop of Canterbury, a moral leader to many people.

The UK has certainly benefitted during membership of the EU, although the benefits may have been gained anyway, later or maybe even sooner. There seems to be no doubt that there were ignorant, sad, people who voted Leave for reasons that were irrational, selfish, base, short-sighted and prejudiced – as can happen in any such appeal to public opinion. However, the attitude and language of some people sincerely keen to retain membership suggest a possible lack of appreciation of why many others – also sincere and of intelligence, knowledge and experience, and not racist, not xenophobic and not anti-immigrant, and – perhaps generally rather older and thereby more likely to be informed by history and logic to be free from myopic naivety – cast their Referendum votes with the altruistic, overarching, fundamental aim of freeing themselves, and their offspring, from what they fear as the foreseeable disastrous ultimate outcome of the continuing growth of supranational EU power without commensurate democratic accountability. In comparison, the undoubted difficulties associated with a negotiated, orderly disengagement of the UK seem infinitely preferable.

It now appears more than a possibility that other members will seek to follow the UK out of the EU, initially, maybe, to leave the monetary union…hopefully without a swing to extremism. Meanwhile, the continuing lack of an effective Opposition to provide checks and balances at Westminster is a matter of serious concern.