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Why did Remain become radical? I'd say it was out of necessity to counter the rapid radicalisation of Leave shortly after the referendum. Although Theresa May's deal is now derided by Brexit cultists as tantamount to staying, it was far harsher than any compromise I expected.
I would have been upset we were leaving but broadly accepting of a Brexit that kept us in the Single Market & Customs Union (and by definition preserved freedom of movement). But that was already swept away by Theresa May's red lines. And those became the new "unacceptably soft".
In other words, the goalposts were moved within a matter of weeks of the referendum, and they have been shifted further from a rational compromise with every passing day.
So the only logical way to counter such extremism is with radical red lines of our own: stay in, or nothing.
So the only logical way to counter such extremism is with radical red lines of our own: stay in, or nothing.
It's a pity that compromise now seems impossible, because we'll end up either with a situation where 52% (now less) are hugely aggrieved, or 48% (now more) are.
Whereas we could instead have a situation in which few get their first choice, but the vast majority are "accepting".
Whereas we could instead have a situation in which few get their first choice, but the vast majority are "accepting".
But all that will happen if the Remain camp were to switch to pushing strongly for that pragmatic compromise is the Brexit beserkers would treat that as the new leftmost point on the Brexit Outcomes graph, and lurch even further into no deal territory.
So that leaves us pushing for "Remain at any cost" even though that's not a compromise solution either (it's the safest and least damaging course - I'd love it - but it's not "compromise") But when the other side have ignored thousands of chances to compromise, we must too. Sigh.
