Today’s news is the UK Government’s struggle to construct a credible system for Ireland when (and if) the UK departs from the EU. They say they don’t want go back to a controlled border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland (the 1920s partition), because they claim to want to keep trade (and people) flowing freely within all parts of that island and with the island of Great Britain, whilst taking the UK out of the European Customs Union and Single Market that currently achieve that successful outcome.

It’s akin to an unfaithful man demanding a divorce to prove to himself that he has been married; then offering to continue to share the same bed. When the former wife refuses to play his game, he then blames her for the failed deal.  I’m reminded of the local Conservative councillor who recently blamed the EU rules for allowing a Tory candidate to replace a resigning Tory MEP by a system that’s worked well for years.

This week was also the 70th anniversary of partition and independence for India and Pakistan. The British tragically screwed up that episode by firstly delaying India’s independence and then rushing it through in a quick fix because the then government was exhausted and couldn’t do the job properly.

Present Westminster behaviour has its parallels. Run by politicians who haven’t the courage to be straight with the British people about a pending disaster, HMG now seems to be setting the stage with such unrealistic proposals that might, if they are lucky, allow them to get away with blaming the EU for yet another home-grown, partition-like economic and social disaster.

Are the British people slowly waking up? Is the government hoping for a sign from the people that allows them to get themselves and the rest of us off the hook? Or are these robotic politians unstoppable lemmings?