Brexit a train wreck whatever happens

Finally it seems a deal has been reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Yet before people can heave a sigh of relief that the three-year saga is finally coming to a end, seemingly with a whimper rather than a bang, MPs voted to withhold approval for the divorce deal unless and until the legislation required to ratify the treaty is passed through Parliament, triggering a law demanding the prime minister ask for a delay to avoid the risk of a damaging "no deal" exit.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who remains committed to talking the UK out of the EU on Oct 31, has sought to do a runaround on this scrutiny, by sending two letters to European Council President Donald Tusk, one asking for the required three-month delay, which he did not sign, and a second, which he has signed, warning that "a further extension would damage the interests of the UK and our EU partners".

He has put his money on there being "very little appetite among our friends in the EU for this business to be protracted by one extra day."