A comment from a demonstrator in the recent People's March for Europe particularly resonated with me: “I want to be able to look my grandchildren in the eye and tell them, ‘I fought for your future’.”
I realise though that most Leavers would also say exactly that. So the question to be answered is: in a post-Brexit UK what would their grandchildren reply?
'British values'? Values are not ever static - consider our attitude to divorce, for example. We can be sure that whatever values our grandchildren hold they won't be ours.
If we are talking housing and school places, then they will point out that those problems were caused by poor government policies and a lack of investment, and that Brexit made it worse through its effects on government finances.
If we are talking economics then they will explain that Brexit made them poorer and delivered lower living standards.
If we ask them about the NHS they will point out that without immigrant nurses and other staff the NHS crumbled - "and whatever happened to that £350 million a week?"
If we are talking trade then they will ask why we tore up a tariff-free trade agreement covering over 40% of our exports.
At least Brexit will have given them sovereignty. Let's hope that they think it was worth it.
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