Adding Boris Johnson to Brexit is pouring fuel on to the fire | William Keegan

As investment nears collapse, the last thing Britain needs is a PM so contemptuous of business and so fiscally heedless

I have been critical, I hope with good reason, of Jeremy Corbyn's equivocation over what is rapidly becoming a pressing need to call another referendum. But credit where credit is due: at least the Labour leader attempted in the Commons last week to block the possibility of a no-deal Brexit - alas, without success.

In common with this year's Reith lecturer, Lord Sumption, I do not like referendums, and believe in representative democracy. Moreover, in keeping with Edmund Burke's address to the electors of Bristol some 250 years ago, I think MPs should regard themselves as representatives, not delegates. Unfortunately, in last week's vote, eight Labour MPs behaved as delegates of Leave constituencies and voted with the Gadarene rush of Conservative Brexiters.

What comparisons with the past bring to the surface is the sheer mediocrity of most of the present contenders

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