The new PM faces big challenges and will probably have diehard Brexiters in his cabinet. But as a realist, he will see the need to steer a new course
The chaotic emergence of Rishi Sunak as Britain’s new prime minister signals the end not of Brexit but of Brexitism – the ideology of delusions about Britain’s ability to go it alone that culminated in the world-beating farce of Liz Truss’s short-lived government.
Trussonomics took the logic of Brexitism to an absurd extreme, with predictable results. Over the past eight years, under this Conservative party, Britain has descended from the pragmatic Eurosceptism of David Cameron to the medium-soft Brexit proposed by Theresa May, to the hard Brexit of Boris Johnson, and thence to the fantasy Brexit of Truss. The Brexit revolution has followed a familiar pattern, except that whereas traditionally the “revolution devouring its children” has involved radicalisation towards the left (Girondins to Jacobins in the French revolution, Mensheviks to Bolsheviks in the Russian revolution), here it has been radicalisation towards the right.
Timothy Garton Ash is a Guardian columnist
Crisis at No 10: How long can the Tory government hold on? Join Hugh Muir, Polly Toynbee, John Crace and Jessica Elgot discussing another failed Tory prime minister and what the future holds for the government, in this livestreamed event. On Wednesday 26 October, 7pm–8pm BST. Book tickets at theguardian.com/guardianlive
