It's a no-deal Brexit, folks

With Michael Gove in charge of sorting out a no-deal Brexit, I am now convinced more than ever that that is exactly what is going to happen. This country, for so many decades a senior member of the European Union, is just going to slam the door and leave all our European friends and try to go it alone. Gove is a brainy chap and he will relish the chance of masterminding the crashing-out Brexit programme. He'll think of every angle and every scenario, good and terrible, and will come up wih a master plan. That's what he is really good at. So with him in charge it's just possible that he will succeed in softening the blow of a no-deal Brexit. But I cannot imagine for a moment that leaving the EU in this way is going to lead to a golden era for Britain, as Boris Johnson has promised. I like his optimism and confidence but almost everyone else with any knowledge of ecoomic matters and business has said the no-deal option will be calamitous for the country. Who do we believe? When David Davis, erstwhile Brexit Secretary and one-time would-be prime minister, says he is sure no-deal won't be as bad as people fear, that doesn't inspire me with confidence. He failed to get Brexit sorted out and then resigned. I doubt he has any idea what is going to happen to this country after October 31. Boris and co seem to be convinced that if they play hard ball all the way to October 31, the EU negotiators will surrender. There was a time when I thought this might happen. But Brussels has shown absolutely no inclination to even speak to Boris and his team. They, like Michael Gove, are now focusing all their efforts on sorting out their own challenges for when Britain crashes out. This is a tragic and irresponsible situation on both sides of the English Channel. So many obstinate politicians and officials determined never to give in. This is poker politics but all players are going to lose and the people of Britain and throughout Europe will have to suffer the consequences. I bumped into a businessman today who told me that he had just renewed his British passport. It was still a red one, as before, but the letters EU were no longer inscribed on the passport. So it seems we have left the EU already.