Yet the length of Cameron's scripted speech made it clear the deal had been done some time before and there was no pain involved. A speech such as that needs reviewing, refining, re-testing, approval and a final check. That didn't happen in an hour or so. The Lithuanian President had already candidly told reporters that everyone would have their little drama then they would all agree. That's what happened. Even usually gullible journalists have finally come round to recognising the theatre of these contrived occasions and treating the fake drama with a measure of contempt.
So, what does it all mean? I previously predicted with confidence that we would not have a June referendum, because there was no way the content of Cameron's deal could possibly be considered strong enough to put to the people. My argument was that this couldn't possibly be it. Cameron had stated in 2013 he was going to get fundamental reform of the European Union and he was going to change Britain's relationship with it. Yet the deal agreed yesterday doesn't come even close to the doing either. It's not even in the same solar system. But 23rd June has been confirmed now Cabinet ministers have fallen into line.
That leaves me with egg on my face, but I will have to roll with it. The problem with my 2017 referendum prediction was the application of reason and logic to a process involving characters who happily lie, cheat and deceive in order to further their interests. The deal presented by Donald Tusk and still further watered down yesterday, was so lightweight and so trifling, reason dictated it could never pass for what Cameron said he would achieve. As such there would be no logic in going to the country and asking people to vote to remain in the EU on the strength of what would be put before us.
But we are dealing with figures who will happily sell an entirely bogus prospectus of reform to an essentially decent, but ill informed and still largely deferential society because they see that enough people feel the politicians know about these things, are the experts and should be taken at their word. They are taking advantage.
What caught me out was a failure to accept the capacity of the politicians to so brazenly tell people that black is white, despite the overwhelming body of evidence that tears their assertions to pieces. The problem is judging politicians by our own respectable standards is just inviting them to cynically deceive voters. That is what they are now doing. They are going to ignore the reams of evidence which show they are lying and are going to stick to the belief that if you tell a lie often enough, you will convince enough people to believe it and consent to the nefarious agenda.
So, what now?
I'm very downbeat.
The Leave side has Vote Leave and the Leave.EU/GO Movement fusion. With other bloggers, we have exposed Vote Leave as leavers in name only as they have consistently advanced visions and ambitions that result in Britain remaining in the EU rather than leaving. Leave.EU at least wanted to genuinely leave the EU. But they have undermined any confidence we can have in them with juvenile attention seeking social media campaigns, unsubstantiated claims, misuse of figures and promotion of lunatic fringe narrative. Arron Banks then bankrolled Grassroots Out so it would come in behind Leave.EU's effort to win designation. But GO has been corrupted into a 'by politicians, for politicians' group, and last night saw many supporters walk out as George Galloway was introduced as its latest celebritician. It is beyond hope. This is awful for rational leave supporters. So, yes, I'm very downbeat.
But I'm also angry.
The EU is rolling on the floor with laughter at the way David Cameron prostrated himself before them to beg for a trivial deal that could be used to con British voters into thinking something had changed for the better, while declaring he would fight to keep Britain in the EU no matter what. The deal is like a balloon, cheap and filled with thin air. When popped, what is left behind is a shrivelled lump with barely any substance. The deal isn't legally binding regardless of Cameron's lies, as it can be reversed after the referendum.
This is a confidence trick of greater magnitude than the 1975 referendum. So although I just feel like walking away, going fishing and letting everyone else get on with it, I want to fight against the lies and I want to fight for Britain to be free of the EU and its appalling objective of denying people democratic control while ensuring unelected decision makers cannot be held accountable for what they impose on us. I want the people of my country to be solely responsible for making the laws of my country and for governing my country.
While there are some people in the main Leave groups that do not accept the roadmap I endorse for leaving the EU in a risk-free way, I will continue to promote it. Flexcit is the result of years of research, review, testing and validation by high ranking experts in governance and trade from a number of EU countries.
It is plain common sense that you cannot unpick over 40 years of integration and centralised control overnight. While you leave the EU within two years of invoking Article 50, it will take time after that to rebuild our structures and capabilities, so we can engage in the world on equal terms.
It is plain common sense that the current global rules on international trade cannot be broken by a newly independent Britain, which means that a leave plan needs to take account of the rules, what is possible and what the impacts of our trade status are once we leave the EU. Too many people don't realise the potential traps that await us after Brexit, so I will continue to make the rational, considered and evidence based case for Flexcit to be adopted in case people vote to leave the EU.
The readership of this little blog has grown substantially in recent weeks. The number of followers of our low key Twitter account has risen by over 300 in the last couple of weeks alone. More people are reading and taking on board the rational arguments for Brexit, arguments that do not have immigration and xenophobia as their foundation, but rather the principle of democracy and perspective of self government.
Thank you to all my readers and followers for making my tiny contribution worthwhile. I hope you will help spread the case for Brexit on your own sites and feeds, promoting the positive vision of an independent Britain returning to the global community with its own voice, cooperating with our neighbours, being influential in the world and thriving by seizing opportunities to increase the well-being and prosperity of our countrymen.
Vote to leave the EU.
