Ed. Yes, people voted leave for a number of reasons - I had colleagues voting to leave because they just didn't like being part of a larger European community with political aspects - but I still don't believe there's any significant, if any benefits, to justify the disruption of leaving. Perhaps if the current government had introduced levelling up rather than austerity a decade ago the result would have been different? However, one has to accept that we have left and just lump any inconveniences that causes - I do know people whose lives have been significantly disrupted by the loss of free movement and others who've had to gain dual Irish or Italian nationality so as not to lose jobs that require regular European travel. (Rumour is even Farage applied for a German passport but was refused because of an, er, inaccuracy on his application ...)Now we've left the EU there's nothing immediate that any party can do about it, they have to take a pragmatic approach but I know many Labour supporters who would push to rejoin, alongside membership of the Euro and Schengen if necessary. So, as Andy says, things haven't moved on much and probably won't until things left incomplete by the oven ready deal which came out uncooked get fixed. (Some polls also suggest that some who voted leave are now regretting it ...)I know from previous posts I believe you think Labour should have voted against the Johnson deal (?), however, although I was ambivalent about that decision at the time I now feel the disastrous downside of risking no deal means it was the correct decision. Sometimes pragmatism has to come first in politics, perhaps that's Starmer's current thinking?
Michael Ixer ● 1060d