Fighting this movement was a major drive for voting to leave the EU

For some, undoubtedly. But the problem is that there were many factors, and things that were of crucial importance to some people were of little or no importance to others. This is why the more sensible Leavers do not talk about "the will of the people", they talk about "implementing the referendum result." The second is known, well defined and fixed. The "will of the people" is more or less constantly unknown, which is why those who want to say this is the will of the people have to claim that will is unchanging, or find themselves of the shaky ground of implementing something that they admit might no longer reflect the will of the people, while in general refusing to have another referendum to find out whether the will has changed.

No, must better to be sensible and talk about implementing the referendum result and drop this "will of the people" stuff, with its overtones of a Galahad or Percival on a Noble Quest to rescue Albion. Implementing the result is a duller, less flamboyant piece of bureaucratic work, but it is at least known.

If you do insist on talking about the will of the people stuff, you get things like this from this weeks Prime Minister's Questions.

"Conservative Andrew Rosindell has the first question. He says the people of Romford are unhappy with the prime minister's proposed deal."


Sorry. You know they voted leave in the main. You know you are unhappy with the deal. You do not know the people are unhappy with the deal.