The case for a second Brexit referendum

THE new Brexit plan has crumpled on its first contact with reality. Faster than even we expected, Parliament has been seized by the idea that Theresa May might not be able to win a majority for a Brexit of any sort.If nothing changes, the prime minister could break the jam in three ways: use crashing out of the European Union without a deal as a threat to get MPs to compromise; ask voters to elect a new Parliament that is up to the task; or, as the author Robert Harris says, hand “the screaming, defecating, vomiting baby back to its parents—the electorate” for a second referendum. All three have problems but, if Brexit must be unblocked, a referendum would be least bad.