Another fudge from the prime minister

The Brexit war cabinet at Chequers - Credit: Jay Allen, MoD, Crown Copyright

‘Divergence won the day’ screamed the Brexiteers after the war cabinet ended its marathon meeting.

But isn’t this just more fudging from a Prime Minister who is increasingly resembling a clown spinning plates? Sooner or later one is going to smash.

The nonsense soundbite that came from the meeting was ‘ambitious managed divergence’ – the buzz phrases peddled government sound more like management speak with each passing week.

But what exactly does this mean? Theresa May will hope it pleases the Remainers by ruling out a cliff-edge Brexit. And Leavers will simply focus ‘divergence’.

Perhaps by the end of next week when May is expected to deliver another update speech we will learn more. It will probably be more of the same though: Fudged, muddled and increasingly desperate.

And there is trouble brewing in the shape of the honourable member for the 18th Century. The letter his European Research Group sent last week set out the Brexiteers’ red lines. And on the Today programme he demanded divergence from March 29 next year.

What will it take for Rees-Mogg to mobilise his hard-liners?