Donald Tusk thinks UK may stay in EU after all

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, has said all along during the Brexit talks that the United Kingdom could change its mind any time and vote to stay in the European Union. He now believes that if there is a second referendum there is a 30 per cent chance of the UK voting to remain, overturning the 2016 decision which was to leave by March 29, 2019 - nearly two months ago. Well, a 30 per cent chance of UK voters deciding to give up the idea of leaving the EU is a fat lot of good, because if it's only 30 per cent, then presumably the other 70 per cent will vote for a Brexit deal of some sort in order to leave for ever. So I'm not sure what Tusk is trying to say. I know what he meant was that there is a growing possibility that Brexit won't happen, but his 30 per cent figure didn't make much sense. Anyway, I'm not sure he is right. Judging by the tempers and anger during last night's BBC Question Time show, most of the applause was for panelists and members of the audience who said they just wanted to get out and the sooner the better. Nigel Farage, former leader of the dodgy UKIP Party and now leader of the so-called Brexit Party, was on the panel and looked increasingly pleased with himself. He gives a very good impression of a frog when he smiles in a satisfied way and there was a lot of that last night. He believes he is onto a winner and fully expects a massive show of support in the European parliamentary elections later this month which Theresa May said would never happen with the UK's participation. One young-looking woman in the audience, speaking excessively loudly, said she planned to vote for the Farage party despite having been a Tory voter for years. The camera swung to Farage and he was giving his frog smile again. You can't tell the mood of the nation by one or two TV shows like Question Time but I would now put money on the outcome of a second referendum if one ever takes place. Even if the Brexit deal is still unpalatable, far more will vote for it just to make sure the UK leaves the EU. Tusk's 30 per cent is irrelevant and probably way off the mark.