Occasionally, though, we need to recognise warning signs – and they is in those areas where politicians’ control and the peoples’ attitudes truly overlap.
We seem to be heading back towards where British politics was between 2005 and 2015: in other words, towards more of a three or four or perhaps more party system.
Everyone likes the sound of it – so long as they believe it is going to deliver their preferred outcome. Already Tory poll ratings are visibly on the slide.
It’s also more pronounced than for Leave-Remain. We are about to see a disproportionately Tory cohort succeeded by a disproportionately Labour one.
At the same time, my research shows some of the hurdles any theoretical new movement will have to cross if it is to survive contact with reality.
41 per agree that Britain should leave to trade on WTO rules on March 29 compared to 28 per cent who disagree.
As Meaningful Vote Three on May’s deal looms, we republish the poll of over 12,000 voters which revealed the concerns that helped to decide the referendum.
If it is framed through the prism of tolerance and anti-bullying, most people support it. But there are still political pitfalls.
Davidson has parked the Conservatives there – and the emergence of the Independent Group opens up new opportunities.
Plus: Up, up and away – HS2’s costs. Staying down – LibDem poll ratings. Stuck where they are – Labour’s.
The unique nature of divisions over it could overwhelm the Party’s traditional pragmatic instinct for office.
There is a now a window of opportunity for a better, more sensible and cross-party debate than the one we had in the referendum campaign.
New polling also reveals that neither is so far ahead as to be unstoppable, however.
Johnson has topped an ESRC poll, as he did our last survey. Its findings are even better for Brexiteers than ours were.
Meanwhile, there is little common ground in which to find a solution which would satisfy many Remainers and Leavers simultaneously.