Jonathan On Negotiating Brexit.

Do we have a plan for Brexit? The one big accusation that is being made against Brexiteers is that there isn't a plan. Nobody is actually doing anything to implement the result of the referendum, and this is resulting in chaos.

They really haven't thought this accusation through...

1. The only people who can implement the people's decision are those in the government.

2. Our Prime Minister has just resigned, and outright refused to implement the people's decision.

3. The Leave campaigns included people from across the political spectrum. Their job was to win the referendum. It wasn't to get everyone to agree precisely what the final outcome would be; we are supposed to have a government for that. In the same way, Remain kept telling us that they thought the EU should be reformed.

They never presented a comprehensive plan for 'reform' of the EU, or any idea of what reform would look like.

4. It would be ludicrous if we knew the outcome of negotiations and the European Union before they've even started. We know perfectly well what we would want in a perfect world, for example:

a) Access to the Single Market
b) The ability to control our own immigration policy
c) The EU pays us for access to our market (we're net importers, after all)
d) Co-operation with the EU on science, research, visa waivers for tourists, security information sharing, extradition treaties and the list goes on and on...
e) Not having to obey any EU laws except when trading with the EU

However, in an ideal world the European Union would want something like:

a) We don't want you to be able to control your immigration policy if you're in the Single Market.
b) We want the UK to pay to have access to the EU's market
c) Co-operation with the UK on science, research, visa waivers for tourists, security information sharing, extradition treaties and the list goes on and on...
d) The UK to continue to obey EU laws always

Some people seem to want to begin negotiations by conceding 100% of what the European Union wants. Well, yes, we could do that, but then we'd end up with as bad a deal as Norway. (Though to be far, Norwegians seem to have zero interest in joining the EU despite their bad deal)

Brexit is actually going to end up being something between the two. Both sides are going to have to make some concessions.

But to those Remainers who keep telling us what we can't negotiate, if you truly care about your country and its future, PLEASE stop talking us down and our chances of negotiating a good deal down. It's irresponsible. All it will do is ruin our chance of the best possible deal.

You have two choices now: A badly-negotiated Brexit, or a well-negotiated Brexit. Other than hoping to be able to tell us 'I told you so', what possible advantage