Brexit has made Britain the sick man of Europe again | William Keegan

The EU did wonders for the economy: that was why we joined. Our departure from it is now all too obviously costing us that prosperity

When recently asked on the Today programme to cite chapter and verse on the subject of Brexit opportunities" Michael Gove, the secretary of state for all seasons, was hopelessly out of his depth.

However, Gove missed a trick. What he should have said, but as a signed-up Brexiter obviously could not, was that the only opportunity" arising from Brexit was to conduct a scientific experiment to demonstrate that the whole idea was a mistake. Moreover, it was a confidence trick on the British public, the majority of whom now realise that they have been had.