Ah, two little Englanders in a row, neither remembering that both this country and the big world out there have changed radically since we last floated alone as the sick man of Europe.

Nigel, your strategy-less optimism mindset equals complacency. Seeing all the signs and being pessimistic leads to a mindset that is predicated on a sense of urgency. The dicks who are leading our negotiations have yet to see that the EU is not going to give us a favourable, bespoke deal. They are optimistic just like you. And complacent. Oh yes, there will be fudges that will be sold to us as great victories. We've already had one of those. It's been a long Christmas. Pessimism when you're standing on the crumbling edge of a cliff might just spur you to take some evasive action.