As we approached the failed Brexit date at the end of March, various commentators warned that if we didn’t leave the EU then, ‘darker forces’ would be awakened by events. However, the numbers on the street with Remain putting 1 million+ into London, while Leave managed a few thousand spread over two rallies, and the Brexit ‘Jarrow’ march having failed to ignite much support beyond a tiny hardcore. It seems that while 17.4M people may have voted to leave they are, thus far, not willing to go much further. Yet it is also the case – bolstered by an active far-right contingent and fired up by conspiracy theories, that there are people who are very, very angry and may not accept the shifting political winds around them.

So what do they do then? When they think the government is working against them and believe (wrongly) that the population is ready to rise up against the ‘evil EUrocrats’? They may seek to light the spark they wrongly think is there…

British police on Tuesday were investigating two attempts to disrupt the rail network that they said were linked to Britain’s exit from the European Union. The devices were found by rail workers on tracks in central England on March 21 and 27, but police said the obstructions had failed to disrupt services.

Then there is Nigel Farage, arch-wraith of Brexit who told an audience that if Brexit does not happen he may don some khaki and ‘pick up a rifle’…

Here’s Farage, last Sunday, on his intent to “pick up a rifle” if Brexit is dodged. Video: Jason J Hunter. pic.twitter.com/u9SvT61AsY — Gene Kerrigan (@GeneKerrigan) May 17, 2017

Now we’d argue that there is no revolution to be had. Proper insurgencies are hard, dangerous and murderous affairs. Glance though the background of the conflict in Northern Ireland, often casually called ‘the troubles’, yet 10,000 people were killed during the conflict; or Iraq during the American and British occupation where ten of thousands died as different factions fought each other, and the state, and the occupation forces in a brutal civil war. All these conflicts needed a ready supply of money and weapons to a trained hard-core willing to die for the cause, but supported by a much larger population base willing to undergo privation and hardship for the same cause.

Currently, we just can’t see that as Brexit’s biggest support base is in the 65+ age category – not normally the demographic that is able to sustain a civil war that, if the conflict in Ireland is any guide, could run for decades. Many of the same group are also well-off owning property and with pensions, meaning they have a lot to lose. That does not mean there are not people willing to kill for their cause, the death of Jo Cox sadly attests to that, it’s just that any deaths from this insurgency would be for nothing as not only are the political winds not with Leave, demographic winds are against it too.