On the morning of the historic victory for the ‘Leave’ campaign I called on the Prime Minister to resign. Within a hour or two David Cameron had done so. I was more than a little surprised – after all, he has rarely listened to me in the past. Now we learn that no plans had been made to deal with the result, that surprise has gone.
He had called a referendum, due in part to the pressure from Ukip. With his customary mix of arrogance and complacency, he had failed to plan for a result he believed could never happen.
Indeed, this catastrophic dereliction of duty on behalf of Mr Cameron and the Treasury has resulted in the very short-term instability that they had predicted. These failures should result in the Chancellor being fired, let alone resigning. Public opprobrium is not enough.
It is not, as some claim, those on the Leave side who have deserted their posts, it is the Government that has failed the people and in the most disgraceful way.
But that desertion of posts has thrown up a huge opportunity for a new leader of the country. And a new emphasis in policy.
Our next Prime Minister will have the chance to grasp the myriad opportunities provided by our nation’s new independence. She will be able to encourage our entrepreneurs and unshackle our businesses, while reducing the pressure on our public services and rebuilding our strained communities. What an opportunity for the right person!
Now we are down to the last two and what is wonderfully unremarkable is that the next Prime Minister will be a woman. Given that the policies the last one saved the country from decline and political melancholia, the auguries are good.
Like most of the rest of the country, I hardly knew anything of Andrea Leadsom before she signed up for ‘Leave’. The first time I observed her was at a debate way back in March. Back then she was a little defensive of the Prime Minister who had given her Ministerial office, but there were flashes of a keen mind and an honest and pragmatic belief in Brexit.