And I have to say that it starts at Westminster. I look at the Conservative benches opposite. I see people who I’ve disagreed with many, many, many times, but disagreeing with somebody is not the same as disliking somebody. And I look at those benches and I ask myself the question: it starts in Westminster—who’s next? Who’s next? And I say that with no pleasure at all, without trying to make an party-political points, but I have seen the liberal viewpoint that David Melding has espoused so eloquently in this Chamber this afternoon being destroyed at Westminster, and it won’t stop there, given the people who are around the Prime Minister.

And I’ve always been astounded by the sheer level of ignorance in British politics about Ireland. I’ve said for years that Ireland was a problem that couldn’t be solved. Let me say it: ‘I told you so’. There we are, I’ve said it now. And it’s still not resolvable. There is no technical solution; it’s nonsense. I was part of these discussions and it doesn't exist—it is impossible to have an island where there are two different customs arrangements on either side of a border without physical checks. Otherwise, you just have smuggling. That is the reality of it, and the UK Government has not come up with an alternative to the backstop. That’s the reality of it. They have made a united Ireland more possible than at any time in my lifetime, because people are beginning to move away, very slowly, from the sectarian viewpoints and are starting to look now at what’s best for Northern Ireland. And the problem’s been that the UK Government has listened to the DUP as though the DUP represented all the people of Northern Ireland. It doesn’t—it’s one strand of opinion, and the people of Northern Ireland will not listen, and they are the people who, bear in mind, voted ‘remain’.

I’m aware of time, Llywydd, so I’ll say this: I am not afraid of an election. There has to be an election, because there’s a Government now with no majority. Of course there has to be an election, but to me, that election has to take place when the threat of a ‘no deal’ has been stopped for now, until that election takes place. And that means that it has to take place after 31 October. Give people breathing space and time to think about what they want to do. My fear is that the election won’t solve anything and we’ll end up with a referendum anyway, but nevertheless, the people have to have the opportunity to have their say. That wasn’t something the Prime Minister wanted in July; that wasn’t something the Prime Minister wanted in August. Apparently, it’s something the Prime Minister wants now because he’s in such a desperate hole. Well, as far as I’m concerned, bring it on, but in the right circumstances. Give people the breathing space to think about what they want to do in the future, and ultimately, as my colleague, Lynne Neagle said, give the people of Wales and the people of Britain the final say.