SO WHAT DOES 'BREXIT' MEAN ?

Those moaning minnies who really don't want to accept the result of last June's referendum keep looking for anything that might put a spoke in the wheel of 'Brexit'. Anything and everything is being used including Nicola Sturgeon's barely veiled threats about a second independence referendum for Scotland, challenges in the courts and daily nit-picking in Parliament. One of the 'big questions' beloved of these 'Remoaners' relates to the precise nature of what 'Brexit' means, as if it can mean different things.

Frankly, this is straightforward bollocks. 'Brexit' can only mean one thing and that is that the United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union; the obvious implication of this is that the UK's position vis-a-vis the EU should be restored to what it was prior to its accession in 1973, amended only by any effective international agreements in the interim period which relate to the UK and other current EU countries as individual and independent countries, and not as members of the EU.

The issues being raised daily by the 'Remoaners' are not relevant to 'Brexit' at all. Questions such as potential limits on migration between the UK and EU, the status of EU citizens currently resident in the UK and of UK citizens currently resident in the EU, access to the 'Single Market' and many others all relate to the nature of the relationship which will exist between the UK and EU after the UK has left the Union. None of these are matters which affect the fact of 'Brexit' itself, although the unreconstructed 'Remainers' are only too happy to muddy the waters by constantly referring to them as if they are actually key to whether or not 'Brexit' can even happen. Their barely hidden agenda, whatever they may say, is that unless the UK Government can leave the EU while effectively staying in, they will do everything in their power to stymie the 'Will of the People'.

Of course the Government will negotiate for the best possible relationship between an independent UK and the EU, but negotiation is a 2-way process and relies on goodwill and common sense from both parties. It also relies on keeping one's cards close to one's chest and not publicising one's negotiating position in advance, as the 'Remoaners' would love to see happen. The likes of Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband (remember them ?), Ken Clarke and others should shut up and let the Government get on with things. There'll be plenty of opportunity for debate later.