In practice, all a non-activation of Article 50 will achieve is to further undermine the UK's negotiating position in Europe.  Why would anyone take the UK seriously when both Government and opposition parties are so divided, and when they are operating in violation of the only popular mandate they have in relation to the EU?

So, for all practical purposes, the UK is already outside of the EU. They can retain access to the single market by not activating Article 50, but they have already lost any political influence they might have had on the future direction of the EU and all those regulations they so love to hate. Even their Commissioner has resigned.

With BoJo and Farage now both out of active politics, their campaign can be seen for the act of vandalism it truly was: Play to the worst fears of the electorate, make all sorts of false promises, and then run away as fast as you can when faced with the actual real consequences of your campaign...

Index of Frank's Diaries