To believe in Brexit is to believe in Britain, says Mark Dolan

Forget about the Covid-19 virus the illness which has gripped the nation, most over the last three years is Brexit derangement syndrome. The irrational hatred of a democratic decision by a population to exit a political block.

Why does it fall upon me, somebody that voted remain in 2016, to defend Brexit?

It’s not a problem - defend Brexit I absolutely will.

It’s clear some businesses have struggled with the transition and many have given up exporting to the EU altogether. Issues - particularly the Northern Ireland protocol - have not been ironed out, growth has been hit and the full opportunities of Brexit have not yet been seized upon. But Brexit is not one moment and it's not one date in the calendar. It's an opportunity it's an idea and it’s a work in progress. Brexit is a journey and one I believe that is well worth taking. But let’s do it properly let’s have a full fat Brexit not half IN half out which is akin to being half pregnant.

It’s my view that Brexit needs a new PR department because it has been chronically undersold.

Laughably its critics link our current economic problems – raging inflation recession and eye watering debt - as down to Brexit. People making that link are either mad or lying or a combination of the two happy to overlook the fact that we borrowed half a trillion pounds and shut the economy down - on and off for two and a half years - in an attempt to stop a seasonal respiratory virus.

The most important aspect of Brexit is that it was delivered – the will of the people was respected. Attempts by politicians and powerful media figures to push for a second referendum including the cervix-free leader of the opposition Keir Starmer would I believe have created a democratic crisis the likes of which we have never seen constitutional pandemonium and probably civil unrest on the streets.

Brexit was an immediate insurance policy against ever closer union and membership of a United States of Europe.

It was an insurance policy against paying for a sovereign debt crisis on the continent which I fear is coming.

It was an insurance policy against a single European army – look at the dreadful EU response to Ukraine in its early stages whilst Britain led the way.

It was an instant insurance policy against payments of £20 billion a year which over two decades amounts to the entire cost of the pandemic.

It was an insurance policy against free movement a one size fits all trade policy and having the euro something with which Tony Blair dangerously flirted and which Gordon Brown heroically thwarted. Brexit critics have seized on today’s news from the IMF that Britain will be the worst performing economy in the G7 this year with lower growth than even war-torn Russia. I don't buy their gloomy outlook for the country.

Yes we've got problems and it's going to be a rough year but as with Covid modelling during the pandemic recent economic modelling from the IMF has been about as accurate as a Nadhim Zahawi tax return.

Three years on and Brexit is all to play for.

To believe in Brexit is to believe in Britain.

Don’t let the doubters win.