Was it 79 or 80 Labour MPs that defied the Labour whip in the Commons last week over the withdrawal Bill?

It must endure. It must protect people's jobs and security. It must be consistent with the kind of country we want to be as we leave: a modern, open, outward-looking, tolerant, European democracy. And in doing all of these things, it must strengthen our union of nations and our union of people. The EU, itself, of course, has two added incentives: the £39 billion it will receive if it agrees a trade deal, and the importance of access to the UK. For example, the external affairs committee heard that 10 to 15 per cent of the GDP of Germany’s 16 states is exposed to the UK market.

Labour’s position would mean continuing to follow a swathe of EU rules with absolutely no say in them. This breaks Labour’s Brexit promises, and does not respect the referendum result. Seventy per cent of Labour UK constituencies voted 'leave', and they want to see the result of the referendum honoured. People outside the Parliaments across the UK are getting a little tired of parliamentary games. They want to know when they’re going to get Brexit, when it will be delivered and when it will be done. They don't want to hear the same old stuff, the same old speech from the same old First Minister, month after month, year after year.