Thwarting Brexit probably won’t stop Brexit

What if they succeed in thwarting Brexit? The odds seem weighted against Boris Johnson delivering his do-or-die (-in-a-ditch) promise to get the UK out of the EU by Halloween. The Benn Act has tied the government’s hands so there is no need for Brussels to budge. Donald Tusk can wait until Johnson cracks and complies, or until the Remain Parliament ousts him and installs a prime minister who will hold a second referendum or revoke Article 50 altogether. 

Because MPs have no commonly agreed position, we can’t be sure which eventuality we’re heading for, but we can agree that Britain’s membership continuing on November 1 would represent a big defeat for the Prime Minister, his government and the Brexit movement. Two deadlines would have been missed, the rationale behind Johnson’s leadership bid extinguished, and Brexit-blockers would be running the show at Westminster. Britain would be on course for an even more delayed Brexit, or no Brexit at all. 

Then what? The optimal outcome for Remainers would be for Leavers to concede defeat and a chastened electorate to return to matters more fitting for democratic participation, ideally with a note of contrition for everything they’ve put Parliament through.