As a nation we have spent the past few days waiting with collectively bated breath to see what our divorce from the European Union will look like. What strategy would our elected leaders devise for this unprecedented step into the unknown? Well, they were not exactly elected as our leaders. But at least they were selected by a gruelling process of debate and… well, not quite. At least we can rest assured that our unelected leaders are being kept in check by the scrutiny of Her Maj’s opposition… oh.

Well anyway, where was I? Oh yes: Brexit. It’s difficult to underestimate the hard work that was in store for Theresa May’s top team as they returned from their summer holidays to assemble at the PM’s Buckinghamshire mansion. If there was ever a time for a brainstorm, or, to use the more politically correct term, thought shower, this was it. As ever, where the Conservative Party is concerned, much of the focus was on division. It seems that when it comes to what Brexit means, what it should look like, and how we get there, the whole cabinet is brimming with many and varied ideas and plans. Who knew?

So who emerged triumphant from this battle of the political titans? Cometh the hour, cometh the man, as it emerged this week that newly appointed Brexit Secretary David Davis emerged victorious over the Chancellor Philip Hammond in a crucial debate. How did Davis, absent from frontline politics since 2008, achieve this Machiavellian feat? After what must have been hours of talking about stuff and drawing mind maps, Davis won the day by persuading his cabinet colleagues to endorse curbs on immigration. He convinced a whole Brexit brainstorm that a good idea for leaving the EU might be to get immigration down a bit. Brilliant!

This, it seems, is where politics is now. A place where stating the damn obvious counts as a victory. In fairness, for a man who, in the 2005 contest to become leader of the Conservative Party, lost to the wet-lipped chinless Etonian who thought it would be good to hold a referendum on Europe before this discussion took place, this probably does count as an achievement. For the rest of us, however, this is scarcely the decisive and bold vision of the withdrawal that we might have hoped for.

Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback LONDON, UK - JULY 16 : A speaker addresses the EDL members at Hyde Park. About a hundred members of The English Defence League (EDL) march on Park Lane for a rally in Hyde Park. The march on 16 July 2016 was heavily policed keeping the group away from the public. (Photo by David Mbiyu/Corbis via Getty Images) Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a ‘love bombing’ rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback The Peoples Assembly Against Austerity, Black Live Matters and The Socialist Workers Party organised a march on Saturday July 16th in London, United Kingdom, against austerity, cuts and Racism. The groups also marched in solidarity against Tory government policies. (Photo by Gail Orenstein/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell

Just so all my cards are on the table, I voted remain. However, after an initial period of shock and bewilderment, I wasn’t one of the people (who I’m prepared to venture were in the minority) who went into a deep and dark period of mourning. Anyone who thinks that the European Union is an unquestionably positive force for progress, justice and equality should spend more time in Greece, or Spain, or Slovenia, or Hungary. But what I wanted to see after the referendum result was a positive, constructive, thought-out plan for the future, or, at the very least, and recognising that we don’t have a free hand in this, a statement of what we wanted to achieve. Instead, what we are left with is the self-satisfied crowing of politicians and their acolytes about their non-achievements, and a handful of vacuous buzzwords (if I hear that Britain is open for business one more time, I’m emigrating to America).