ONE of my favourite childhood songs and stories was ‘the emperor’s new clothes’. The emperor had been sold a magic suit by a pretty clever con man. You had to be clever to see this suit so all around the emperor praised its beauty and grandeur.

The reality of course was that the suit didn’t exist... the King was naked. He had been well and truly conned. He was as the song says ‘in the all together!’

Brexit, particularly a hard Brexit, reminds me of this story... the single most destructive proposition ever contemplated and people voted for it to ‘get their country back!’

At the current rate there will be little left of the UK as we know it – Northern Ireland on the edge, Scotland probably emboldened to go for a second referendum on independence, the young disenchanted with the decision, the NHS heading for covert privatisation, businesses confused and our standards in danger of slipping in necessary regulation and who we do good business with.

Recent news has focused on Gibraltar where the vote to remain was almost total, and then there is the threats to car production, agriculture etc, etc

I met someone in the streets of Swanage recently and his 20 something son had begged with his father to vote remain as the future lies with cooperation and not division.

The EU is not perfect but what is? Many, not all, voted to leave through ignorance, nostalgia and insularity egged on by some parts of our press and many had no idea what leaving would actually mean. ‘Out means out’ is utterly mindless and meaningless!

Now we are starting to get some idea and it will become clearer as time goes by although this ineffectual government still, seemingly, have no idea.

It is surely right to let the people have a say on the final agreement when they have some idea of what the final effects will be. We do, after all, live in a democracy where national and local elections are held on a very regular basis.

A hard destructive Brexit could be likened to chopping your arm off when you’ve broken it only to realise you could have mended your arm.

BOB WALTERS

Bell Street, Swanage