Thanks to last Saturday’s parliamentary farce and the passing of the Letwin amendment, Brexit is still unresolved. Many people want the whole thing to end. Looking at Johnson’s proposed treaty with tired eyes, some have convinced themselves that it is palatable.

But Johnson’s proposed treaty is not good for Britain. It would commit us to continued subjection to the European Court of Justice. It would rob us of an independent capability on tax, trade, foreign policy and defence. It would allow Northern Ireland to be split from the United Kingdom, not because its people want it but because the EU demands it. And it would oblige us to pay at least £39 billion.

It would bind us into the EU in a ‘transition period’ until December 31, 2020, fourteen months of having to implement all EU laws (including new tax laws) but not allowed to vote on them - taxation without representation. There is no termination clause in his proposed treaty.

The proposed treaty even says that the transition period can be extended up to December 31, 2022. The pro-EU majority of MPs would try to extend this transition period again and again. Given that a general election is not due until June 2022 under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, if the Withdrawal Agreement is passed, MPs would resist all our calls for an election.

Some call for a second referendum, but they have been telling us for years that our 2016 majority democratic decision was only ‘advisory’. So, what would make this one different? The ‘right’ result? You can bet that if we once voted ‘the right way’, we would never get another vote on it.

The EU and its allies want to keep Johnson in office but not in power, unable to govern, unable to leave the EU, unable to call an election. They want to keep us trapped in the EU for ever, with no voice or vote,

Will Podmore

Clavering Road, Wanstead