The Remain campaign takes as its model the ‘No’ one in the 2014 Scottish referendum. First and last — hence the Osborne/Darling fantasy horror Budget on Wednesday — inspire fear. Second, late in the day, leave it all to Labour and get Gordon Brown to make a passionate speech (Mr Brown took this too literally and made almost exactly the same passionate speech). Finally, shortly before polling, get leaders of all stripes to make a solemn ‘vow’ to win over the doubters. I am trying to work out what that vow could be. All 27 other member states promising some guarantee of Britain’s independence within the EU? This device has already been tried — David Cameron called it his ‘deal’ for a ‘Britain in a reformed Europe’ — and no one was impressed. There isn’t really any leading Remain supporter left standing whose vow could be believed. So unless Mr Cameron can force the Queen to make a Diana’s-funeral-style broadcast ‘as your Queen and as a grandmother’ in favour of Remain, it is hard to imagine what shots are left in his locker.
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