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Mr Maloney - The implication of the question at the end of your comment is that, in a hypothetical vote, Parliament left to its own devices would never have decided to exit the EU. I am sure you are right - by all accounts, only a minority (albeit quite a significant one within the governing party) wanted the UK to leave the EU, so even if an occasion had arisen to take such a vote, they would have lost it.

So, the referendum was the only key that could unlock the door to the outside for those wanting the UK to leave the EU. That key was handed to them by Mr Cameron (who evidently expected the key not to work) and the door is now open, leaving those politicians who expected it to remain closed in disarray (with Mr Cameron nowhere to be seen). To extend the metaphor, Mrs May is now doing her best to ensure that the door is chocked open, so that it cannot be closed again. However, a look through the door shows at present only an impenetrable thicket, through which we will need to hack our way if ever we are to reach the sunny uplands that the Brexiteers say are to be found beyond. We shall see - it will certainly not be easy.

For my part I would ask that you do not assume (per your reply to Mr Cockshutt) that the motivation of those in favour of remaining in the EU was primarily about the status quo being the safest option. Many of us are bridge-builders rather than wall-builders. Bridges are more difficult to construct than walls, but when successfully constructed they bring people together rather than isolate them from each other. The EU, despite its flaws (being a human institution) has been a prime mechanism in bringing and keeping together the nation states of Europe in a way that has led to an unprecedented era of peaceful co-existence (not to mention economic well-being), when previously there had been an endless pattern of periodic conflict. I for one would prefer that this peace is not threatened by the break up of the EU and that we prosper together rather than go our separate ways. All worthwhile relationships, whether personal (such as marriage) or international (such as the EU), involve the parties giving to each other in order to foster the union. In the international sphere, this involves some surrender of a nation's independence of action in order to benefit the working of the union as a whole. That is a good thing rather than a bad thing in my view. Perhaps the remaining 27 nations will be able to keep together the peaceful union that is now the EU but, if so, that will be no thanks to the UK (even though we will rely upon this for our own peace).