Now that they know the problems, let the people decide

By Friday, 29 March 2019, Britain will leave the European Union, following which there will be a transition period till 31 December 2020. So, we are into the endgame. "This isn't an ordinary endgame though: All major pieces are still on the board and pretty much the full range of potential outcomes -- from no deal to no Brexit, an everything in between -- remain live possibilities," wrote T Raphael. In a speech in March, Prime Minister Theresa May warned of different outcomes to negotiations with Europe, saying that she wanted to avoid a "hard Brexit". "Europe can drive a hard bargain, because a 'hard Brexit' with no supporting agreements would hurt the UK far more than the EU." But, more importantly because, "Europe also has no interest in helping Britain make a success of Brexit, because it wants to discourage other defectors." Last month May called her cabinet to Chequers, the official country residence of the prime minister, and hammered out a blueprint for the British position. The plan suggests a "combined customs territory" which will allow Britain to collect taxes for goods going into Europe. Scotland and Northern Ireland voted heavily in favor of staying within the EU and Northern Ireland wants an open border with the Republic of Ireland, which is not only a part of the EU but of the Eurozone as well. European Commission's Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier promptly ruled out May's customs compromise. "A customs union, which would help to reduce friction at the border, would come with our common commercial policy for goods," he said. Meaning EU rules, and not British, will apply to any customs union. Hardline Conservatives prefer a no-deal Brexit rather than the Chequers plan. "We would be out of Europe yet still run by Europe," wrote Jacob Rees-Mogg. May traveled to the Czech Republic and to Austria to sell her idea of free movement of goods, but not of people, but failed to convince them. She then cut short her holiday to talk to President Macron of France but he does not support Brexit either. The British government has released a series of papers advising citizens and industry on steps to mitigate the effects of a no-deal Brexit. These warn that British citizens living abroad may lose their bank accounts in Britain, medicines becoming more expensive and higher charges on credit cards. "What makes this particularly devilish is that the old Leave versus Remain division has effectively become a deal or no-deal division," wrote Raphael. The EU is unlikely to help Britain reach a favorable compromise because anti-EU sentiments are growing in other, more important countries. Now that the government has explained what a hard Brexit may mean it should give the people another chance to vote on it. That would be the democratic way.