Things, it would seem, have suddenly become interesting. Yesterday, those of us who voted to remain in the EU were offered a glimmer of hope. It’s only a small glimmer, but there’s hope nevertheless. Three unbiassed, impartial judges determined that, because EU law was now so interwoven with ours, any decision to leave the EU must go through parliament. In my view that is absolutely correct: parliament is sovereign, and for the tories to think they had a right to bypass it with a referendum was rather arrogant. After all, parliament consists of our elected representatives.

Now, though, things have got complicated. For brexit to go through parliament might take years: there’s a lot to talk about and resolve – and remember, most MPs were against brexit in the first place. Yet that doesn’t change the inescapable fact that a majority of people, however small, voted to leave the EU; so how can the two be squared? It seems to me that the only fair way to resolve this would be through another referendum. If the judgement holds against the government’s appeal, I’m told this issue might take five or six years to go through parliament. By that time, people’s views might have changed; and by that time we should be able to see two much more concrete options to choose from. Thus a second referendum might now be inevitable.

By then, of course, a lot will have changed: people too young to vote this time will have come of age; and by then the lies of the outists will have been well and truly exploded. It all points to a better result for remain. The thing is, while I’m no conspiracy nut, and as optimistic I am about Europe, I can’t help thinking this smells a bit fishy. In certain lights, it kind of appears as if everything is geared towards us staying in the EU whether we like it or not. Then again, if the EU is as corrupt and nefarious as certain people would have us believe, surely it would have just rigged the result in the first place, and we would all have been none the wiser. And besides, that is just the type of piffle the outist ultra-nationalists would have us believe.

Thus this is, at last, something I’m happy about. Brexit may not be dead, but at least there is a glimmer of hope. A second referendum now seems essential: if brexit is going to have to go through parliament, the people should get the final say on what they decide. Otherwise, what would be the point? Why have the first referendum if parliament decides against it; and if we leave europe whatever parliament say, what would be the point of parliament? At least by the time of a second referendum the facts will all be on the table by then, the lies will have been exposed, and the people will be able to make a more informed decision.