Brexit has been reframed as a fragile flower that needs ‘protecting’

The notion of ‘saving’ Brexit seems to take priority over the issue of what might be best for the nation’s economy, writes Andrew Woodcock

Brexit is becoming a kind of totem, valued by its supporters for its own sake (PA)

An interesting feature of the past few weeks has been the emergence of a new image of Brexit as a poor delicate creature in danger of being snuffed out at any moment.

It started with the outraged response to Tobias Ellwood’s suggestion that maybe difficulties over trade with the EU might be eased by coming to a closer arrangement with the single market.

This prompted Boris Johnson’s former Brexiteer-in-chief David Frost to issue what he clearly thought was a devastating riposte that Brexit would not be “safe” with the likes of the Conservative defence committee chair.