It is true that a newly independent Britain would have to renegotiate trade deals. But to become a normal, self-governing state once more would be a leap into the known. The world is full of such states, some of which – such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand – work very well and are close to our own traditions. Staying in the EU, on the other hand, is a voyage, though not a leap, into the unknown. That is why it has changed its name from time to time. It is a developing process, and no one knows its destination.