‘Last Saturday, parts of middle Britain to which the Daily Mail does not speak took to the streets against Brexit … Fanatics are often the last to see that their dreams have turned to nightmares. But the British public, who are not fanatics, get it. So, belatedly, does a Mail that drove so hard to the cliff edge. The message has yet to reach many Tories. But they risk being swept aside if it doesn’t. The hard Brexiters are on the run’ (the Guardian today here). It would be marvellous to be able to believe this. But for the last few weeks our optimism barometer has gone right down and has yet to falter upwards.