The self-described "moderate Brexiteer" Iain Martin (a Times columnist) is certainly relatively moderate in his threats against Remainers compared to the extremists, however even he seems to be becoming radicalised. He is now threatening (if Brexit is somehow avoided) a vast grassroots rebellion - "Momentum for Brexiteers" - being fomented by "a cross-party campaign outside Westminster" funded by "big pro-Brexit donors".
Why does a moderate Brexiteer support this vision? His argument is that right now we have "a large part of the British establishment (much of it unelected) effectively trying to overturn a referendum result". These shadowy and unspecified figures will be undermining democracy (just like Gina Miller and those pesky judges) by their actions. Surely the population will rise up in anger.
Why even broadcast this threat of rich people funding civil turmoil? His fears centre on the tribulations of the Withdrawal Bill that is being debated now. In particular if the bill fails then we will be heading for a 'no deal' Brexit.
We have a weak PM, divided parties, no strategy or plan for post-Brexit, no trade agreements in prospect, the Irish border nightmare, a collapsing pound and collapsing credit rating, and an EU that is acting as though we aren't actually all that important to them. 'No deal' seems eminently possible.
Surely, you will cry, Mr Martin should be celebrating? After all, the Brexit theme tune is 'No deal is better than a bad deal'.
However this is where his unelected elites come in. He notes that John McDonnell MP "is keen to work with MPs of all parties to halt a 'no-deal Brexit'". (It is unclear whether Mr Martin actually regards MPs as unelected, but then 'elected representatives of the people' doesn't really fit with his argument.)
It seems Mr Martin suspects that when a no-deal Brexit is offered to the public then most ordinary people won't want anything to do with it. They will make this clear democratically ("a sustained shift in the polls" as he puts it), and power will shift democratically to those who are willing to deliver democratically what the people actually want. At that point the gloves will come off because "those who campaigned for it are hardly going to sit back".
In essence he is explaining that if Brexit doesn't happen then the rich people who want it will buy in rent-a-mobs, hoping to force through their agenda against the will of the people - and remember this is a self-styled "moderate Brexiteer" speaking.
Ironically, Mr Martin refers to this as "a pro-democracy, anti-elite message".
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