I am beginning to wonder if there is anything that has anything to do with Brussels that is not topsy-turvy. I read about Eastern European states worrying about curtailments to labour mobility when they are the ones that have suffered most from the exodus of their educated and hard-working youth.

Only last week I read about the suggestion from Brussels that there might be some causal connectivity between Brexit and the continuing rise in the support for extremist political parties in Europe (with the causality in that direction) when clearly the increase in support for these parties is down to two quite incontrovertible factors: increasing economic dislocation, largely the consequence of the ongoing imposition of the Euro, and the failure of the mainstream political parties to address the issue of labour mobility both within and into Europe.

It is not that the rise in support for these parties is inevitable. However, denial of the underlying causes and a blind hope that somehow they will go away represent a somewhat risky approach. During the last century we saw what can happen if too much head-burying is tolerated.

I have also heard that some of the big American investment banks have been lambasting Mrs May about the ongoing uncertainties created by Brexit. Of course it would be to the detriment of the UK economy if they all moved lock, stock and barrel to somewhere like Frankfurt or Dublin but let’s be clear that it is highly unlikely to happen, certainly whilst the European economic playing field is so unclear. It goes without saying that there is no necessary correlation between what is in the best interest of the big investment banks (or indeed many of the big multinational corporations) and the countries in which they operate. Yes, they and their employees may or may not pay a lot of tax and create other employment, but it is by no means a one-way street. The banking meltdown cost the economy many billions and, by any objective measure, the financial services industry in the UK is disproportionately large. It would be a shame if it came to be able to wield an excessive degree of leverage over government as has been the case in the United States for many, many years. We have seen time and time again the damaging consequences of this, not least the repeal of Glass Steagall.

Let’s all pray that Mrs May takes her time, retains a cool head, and plays hardball with the wannabe European bullies.