GP Taylor: Don't expect the Brexit door to be flung wide open

“They will be reluctant to let you go. I am Swiss, I know these things,” my driver said assuredly. He was probably right. The Swiss have a strange relationship with the EU.

They are firmly Europeans but are not a part of the EU, though you wouldn’t notice. One border crossing gets locked at night, but a polite note is left on the gate telling you where the open ones are.

They still have to obey EU law and Jean-Claude Juncker has the same say over their lives as he does ours. Not in the EU, but heavily influenced by it.

In the few weeks since the referendum, none of the great disasters that Project Fear predicted would happen have come about. The foretold financial collapse hasn’t happened and we have not been overrun with immigrants wanting to get in before we close the gate. Far from it. Countries from around the world are suddenly queuing up to trade with us and there is a promising future ahead.

Yet, the Remainers haven’t given up on their cause to have us shackled to a failing financial institution that even the IMF says is in big trouble. It is strange that the same people who occupied London, voted for Jeremy Corbyn and protested against the banks should seek to uphold an institution that is firmly and utterly controlled for the interest of big business.

The EU has never been about its people, but about an open economic area where banks and businesses can freely move using EU grants. There is no concern for workers who lose their jobs and lives that are destroyed.

What voters don’t appear to realise is that the referendum is not legally binding on the Government and it doesn’t have to do what the people wished. Never in a million years did those really in power ever think that the usually subservient population would do the unthinkable and go against their wishes.

We were only allowed the vote because it was thought that Brexit would never happen. Sadly, for the Remainers, the vote went against them. Social media was filled with threats that those who voted for Brexit were racists, bigots and old. How dare they stop such a wonderful relationship with Europe.

Like the Great Rising or Peasants’ Revolt, the Brexit vote will not lead us to fully leaving Europe. As if history is repeating itself, the people of this country will be offered one thing and given another. In reality, just like Richard II, the Brexit revolt will be put down, watered down and eventually ignored.

Already there are those who are challenging a lawful vote and wishing to overturn democracy as if we are living in a third world dictatorship. The dreaded Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty appears to be impossible to invoke. Like the name of Lord Voldermort, it is as if its very name should never be spoken in circles of power.

Brexit cannot happen until divorce proceedings begin and, just like parents worried about their children when a marriage fails, our politicians appear not to be able start the separation.

Remain may have lost the battle over the EU but they are still hoping to win the war. The national media will still harp on with horror stories about what will happen when we leave and Project Fear will continue. The Government will drag its feet until it calls a snap election in October. Not even then with a Tory majority in place will Article 50 be invoked.

Remainers are planning a long battle and will do anything to hang on to their gravy train. It was interesting that those who protested so much were those who were being subsidised to the hilt by the EU. There is nothing like the thought of losing money to make you want to fight to keep it.

That is really where the truth lies. Our separation from the EU will be dragged out for so long that it will lose momentum and will eventually keel over and die. It is a game of remaining by stealth.

Legal arguments will be listened to and eventually some judge will rule against Brexit. Our politicians cannot be trusted. Even though the people have spoken, our MPs appear not to be listening.

All that can be hoped for is that Britain will be allowed to have Brexit Light. We will still have to incorporate EU law and have open borders. Nothing will really change.

The Communist Party said recently that “the referendum result represents a huge and potentially disorientating blow to the ruling capitalist class in Britain, its hired politicians and its imperialist allies in the EU”. How right they are.

The ruling class will not let Brexit happen without a fight and their hired politicians from all parties will do battle on their behalf. Normal working people think they voted to leave, but our politicians know otherwise.

GP Taylor is a writer and broadcaster and can be followed @GPTaylorauthor.