It was a concept built on lies, delivered to feed raw nationalism, to achieve a ‘have our cake and eat it’ outcome, which was never realistic and never on offer. Not only is it one of the greatest political mistakes in our history, it is one of the most disreputable.
The referendum which enabled it was undemocratic because of the four nations making up the UK, two voted to Remain yet were forced to leave against their democratically expressed will. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland may end up leaving the UK as a consequence.
It lacked integrity because not only did it fail to carry the constituent nations of the UK, it failed to achieve a margin for Leave that showed a clear and true majority of votes for major constitutional change. This included the withdrawal of E U citizenship from millions who did not wish to lose it.
Finally it was built on a tissue of lies and imaginings, not a single one of which has proved true in the event. We are now left to make the best of a very bad job, the multiple downsides of which have been masked by the Covid crisis, but which, day by day in so many little ways as well as big ones, are becoming depressingly clear.
There are still paths that could lead to a new dawn for our country and a new purpose for the Union. Whether they are within the competence of this bizarre government to navigate is another matter.
We should make it our New Year resolution to find out.