History shows why voters often back ‘no deal’

As the UK approaches the end of the Brexit transition period, ministers have made it clear that businesses and Britain must ready themselves for ‘no deal’.

But will Britain be ready? Almost every day, there are new concerns from the road haulage industry, not just about Kent and access permits for lorry drivers, but about the system’s operability and the viability of any back-up plans.

The government does have an ‘oven ready’ response to the no deal naysayers – which Michael Gove used with evident relish against Theresa May in October – and can say that: ‘No deal is better than a bad deal’.

Ultimately, however, the judgement about no deal will be made, as in the referendum itself, by the electorate. While it is said that some in government have grave concerns about the scale of chaos a no-deal Brexit will cause and how that will affect voters, others believe either that the risks are over-egged or that they will be worth it, at least in the medium term.