This morning two headlines from two pro-Brexit MPs appear to be showing a bit of a difference in terms of where we are at as a nation. To be fair the pro-Brexit newspaper Telegraph is bound to be a bit tougher and a bit more positive than the I News which I suspect is a bit more balanced in its approach, indeed so may argue it is pro-remain. The reality however is neither of the two men is speaking positively about Brexit. Iain Duncan Smith whose piece is mostly well hidden behind a pay wall starts off with:

“It has become clear that Project Fear – the scare-mongering campaign carried out by those who want to remain in the EU – is alive and well. We are threatened on a daily basis that we could end up with “no deal”, “crashing out” or facing a “cliff edge”. Almost every question anyone who supports the vote to Leave is asked is couched in these dire terms, as though they are hard facts and the rest is supposition. Hardly a day goes by without another scare story about the UK failing to get medical isotopes, facing a shortage of medicines, or British aircraft not being allowed to land in the EU. These examples show exactly why we are being misled. Continuing access to radioactive isotopes, used to…”

So perhaps it is reasonable to assume that rather than being defensive and arguing against remainers, some of whom are in Iain’s constituency, his piece could explain what exciting opportunities lie ahead of us and how we will thrive. After all we are now a mere 228 days away from the point at which we are no longer part of the EU. It is perhaps understandable that there are some people feeling nervous about this change and even opposed to it, after all 16.7m people voted to remain. Rather than criticising these folk IDS could take a positive proactive approach and rewrite his article with a few positives at the outset, assuming of course that there are some. However his colleague and pro Brexiteer Minister Grayling appears to be suggesting that the way forward is not going to be easy and he is not suggesting we will thrive, particularly if we achieve a no deal:

‘Mr Grayling told BBC Radio 4: “None of us want no deal, none of us are working towards that. I think it would be damaging for both this country and the EU. “We’ve got to redouble our efforts to make sure we reach the right agreement this autumn and that’s why Theresa May has brought forward the Chequers proposals. “They are not easy to sell in this country as we know. They are difficult for Brexiteers to accept.”’

Perhaps IDS and Chris Grayling could get in touch and agree how to sell the proposal to us as citizens and then begin to do so in a positive manner, or perhaps it is time for a bit of a reality check that focuses on the alternative way forward (or as IDS would see it, the way backwards).