Be careful not to mention the ‘B’ word

The wounds from the Brexit wars are yet to fully heal. Poking them now may lead to them opening up again, writes Marie Le Conte

This iteration of the House of Commons just doesn’t feel like the one able to change course even slightly (EPA)

There are some words that you type or read on a screen that make your heart feel like a stone dropping inside your chest. It can be the name of a former partner, or a reference to a place that is long gone – but still missed. You never know what it will be until it happens.

As I found out yesterday, one of those words that triggers this reaction deep within my soul is “Brexit”. Christ, even spelling it out just now was painful.

“Britain mulls Swiss-style ties with Brussels,” The Sunday Times told us over the weekend. All the greatest hits were played in the story. The government wants closer ties with the EU but doesn’t want free movement; the ERG is pre-emptively frothing at the mouth; the EU should want this as much as we want it; “Lord Frost”; “Chequers”. That last one made me flinch.