I agree with every word of your piece here. Excellent stuff: balanced, considered and thorough. It is only through voices like yours that we will ever begin to heal the divisions this referendum has shone a light on.

Most of the shouting from Leave so far has come from the deranged and unhinged voices of Farage and his ilk, only to be rebutted equally loudly by the cult-like, EU flag tattooed Remain brigade you describe.

But. My only quibble (full disclosure: I voted Leave) is this whole ‘Soft Brexit’ thing, which boils down to: Strong Economy & Soft Democracy. I fully agree that staying in the single market & customs union may be better for us economically and likewise worse democratically – but don’t agree that this is wouldn’t be a big deal. Not that the EU itself isn’t relatively democratic and fair (it is), but the effect of the erosion of democracy for the UK would not be sustainable long-term. I don’t think the UK would ever settle or ‘get used’ to such an arrangement.

That’s why I favour a so-called ‘Hard Brexit’: Strong Democracy & Soft Economy. For me, that’s the least-worst of two evils. I suspect (but obviously do not know) that most Leavers share this view. It has become a cliché, but I really would rather be a poor master. There are worse fates in life.

Still, best piece I’ve read on Brexit in months. Thank you.