Wake Smith chairman Nick Lambert looks at the latest Brexit news...
The future of Brexit is almost as elusive as the answer to perpetual motion, with changes of tack from political parties happening on an almost daily basis.
What we appear to be seeing, is solidification of manifesto pledges on the actual Brexit approach of each party hardening, so that at least voters will understand what they are voting for.
The changes are more aligned to strategic voting tactics with parties allied on either a pro or anti Brexit stance. This is creating a more binary outcome, with the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and Green Party forming a pact not to contest each others' seats in a bid to win a remain majority.
The Conservative party has been given a pro-Brexit boost as Nigel Farage announced this week that his Brexit Party would stand down from 317 potential seats in areas where the Conservative Party has a majority, specifically in order to prevent a second referendum on Brexit.
A second referendum is being billed by the Labour Party as the only way to progress the Brexit issue, but will be basing the referendum on a renegotiated deal and remaining in the EU as the only options. Many are arguing that their pledge is 'remain, or remain minus' based on those two outcomes.
Speculation over a hard Brexit is still alive and well as we approach the General Election on 12 December, closely followed by the extended Article 50 deadline for our EU departure on 31 January.
This speculation is based upon the possibility of a Conservative majority Government, backed by a raft of Brexit Party MP's securing traditional Labour seats having the authority to drive it through Parliament if a deal doesn't gain assent from the House of Commons before the deadline.
Equally of course, the election outcome might see a Labour led coalition which works to either secure a new, revised withdrawal agreement which keeps the UK in the common market and customs union, or revokes Brexit entirely following a second referendum.
Clearly, there is much to deliberate upon, not least of which is the point where UK businesses can regain some security and certainty for planning needs. This is unlikely to happen for some time yet and in all reality, we may not see the next phase of Brexit much before the 31 January deadline.
