It has been a terrible couple of weeks for the advocates of a hard Brexit. Having demanded for over a year that the government get serious about plans for leaving Europe with no deal in place, they must have been horrified when ministers started to spell out the consequences: food shortages, petrol queues, vital drugs in short supply, flights grounded and the army taking control.

Many hard Brexiteers reacted by denouncing the cabinet as sellouts and crypto-Remainers, but the shrewder of the ultras have realised that now is not the time. Like scholars of Chairman Mao’s theses on guerrilla warfare they have decided that when their enemy – in this case a prime minister desperate to avoid crashing out with no deal – attacks, they must retreat.

In fact, they have taken more than that from the Great Helmsman: the guerrillas were told they had to move amongst the people like anonymous fish swimming in the ocean, and that is just what Michael Gove and his allies now plan to do in government. They have become the strongest proponents of Theresa May’s latest negotiating ploy: advocating a “blind Brexit” that looks superficially like our current EU membership on the date of exit.

Blind Brexit works for May because it delivers something – anything – other than no deal and means she can at least claim to have negotiated an orderly exit from the EU.

For the country, though, it is anything but a good deal. It would mean surrendering the few negotiating cards we have left and instead relying on a piece of paper – a warmly worded political declaration between the UK government and EU27 – to secure the future. Historical precedent tells us just how poor a trade that would be.

A blind Brexit would mean we have settled almost nothing at the time of Brexit day next March. We would in effect be marching blindfold off the gangplank having convinced ourselves we will be in a better position to cut a deal while bobbing along in the ocean than remaining on deck.

Of course, we would be plunging not into the warm waters of the Caribbean but the political limbo of a “transition period” in which we would be required to accept all new and existing EU rules and regulations without having any say on their formulation or even having a judge on the court that enforces them.

To mangle the metaphor, this would put us on a two-year gangplank. That is not long enough for businesses to make vital decision and for ordinary people the uncertainty will cloud the future – making a move of house, a car purchase or even a family wedding feel like a major gamble.

The hard Brexiteers know that once the two years are up the future of Britain is up for grabs. Once Britain crosses the exit line on the 29 March there is no way back. Gove and his allies known that, once the transition period is over, they would have free rein to rip up workers’ rights, environmental regulations and safety standards, no doubt all in the name of pursuing trade deals. Instead of taking back control, we would cede it to the Trump administration and others eager to capitalise on our weakness. We know from the US what that would mean in terms of inequality and public health.

The hard Brexiteers know that a blind Brexit is no deal delayed, not averted. The logic of Brexit is clear: the only way to survive it is to indulge in a bonfire of regulation and to become the sort of offshore service centre that makes Hong Kong look tame. That, of course, is why so many on the Conservative right are such enthusiasts.

People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 /30 People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Mandatory Credit: Photo by Guy Bell/REX (9725259aq) Marching down Whitehall - People's March for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal. Timed to coincide with the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum it is organised by anti Brexit, pro EU campaigners. People's March for a People's Vote, London, UK - 23 Jun 2018 Guy Bell/REX Rex People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators carry banners and flags as they participate in the People's March demanding a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on June 23, 2018, the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in London on Saturday calling for a second vote on Britain's departure from the European Union. / AFP PHOTO / Niklas HALLE'NNIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images NIKLAS HALLE'N AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A woman holds a placard as she joins EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participating in the 'People's Vote' march in central London, Britain June 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls HENRY NICHOLLS Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833888 Pro-EU demonstrators take part in a People's March anti-Brexit rally in Parliament Square in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833892 A pro-EU demonstrator waves a European Flag during a People's March anti-Brexit rally in Parliament Square in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators carry banners and flags as they participate in the People's March demanding a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on June 23, 2018, the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in London on Saturday calling for a second vote on Britain's departure from the European Union. / AFP PHOTO / Niklas HALLE'NNIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images NIKLAS HALLE'N AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833960 Tens of thousands of people march through London during a People's March anti-Brexit demonstration in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Vince Cable speaks during the People's March demanding a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on June 23, 2018, the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in London on Saturday calling for a second vote on Britain's departure from the European Union. / AFP PHOTO / Niklas HALLE'NNIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images NIKLAS HALLE'N AFP/Getty People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833964 A young pro-EU demonstrator takes part in a People's March anti-Brexit rally in Parliament Square in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06834044 Tens of thousands of people march through London during a People's March anti-Brexit demonstration, in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833264 Thousands of people march through London during a People's March anti Brexit demonstration in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal epa06833265 Thousands of people march through London during a People's March anti Brexit demonstration in London, Britain, 23 June 2018. Protesters are calling for a referendum on the final deal. The protest is taking place on the second anniversary of the Brexit referendum. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds taking part in the People's Vote march for a second EU referendum at Trafalgar Square in central London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 23, 2018. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell/PA Wire John Stillwell PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young girl joins in the march PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal An EU flag is draped across the statue of Winston Chruchill in Parliament Square REUTERS People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators gather prior to the start of the People's March demanding a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on June 23, 2018, on the second anniversary of the 2016 referendum. / AFP PHOTO / Niklas HALLE'NNIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images NIKLAS HALLE'N AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Vince Cable MP, Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, Tony Robinson and Caroline Lucas MP join with crowds PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall in central London, during the People's Vote march for a second EU referendum. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday June 23, 2018. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. Photo credit should read: John Stillwell/PA Wire John Stillwell PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march in central London, Britain June 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls HENRY NICHOLLS Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal People gather in Trafalgar Square REUTERS People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Tony Robinson PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march REUTERS

We are now at a moment of decision. In only a few weeks parliament will return and MPs will face the biggest choice about our country’s future since the war. The blind Brexit option might look superficially attractive – after all it gets us to the transition period and the least immediate change. But it is a poison pill.

The dilemma for MPs is that there is no majority in parliament for an alternative and they may fear doing nothing takes us straight to no deal.

The only democratic way ahead is a people’s vote. In the trade unions it is standard practice for our members instruct us to negotiate a deal. We then return with the best deal we can get and put that to a vote – to accept the deal or stay with the status quo.

Jacob Rees-Mogg suggests a second Brexit referendum would be acceptable in clip from 2011

The British people deserve the same respect. By a narrow majority they instructed the government to negotiate a deal but, as polls increasingly show, they are increasingly unimpressed with the results – more than 70 per cent of people now expect Theresa May to get the UK a bad deal.

It’s why we are so pleased The Independent has taken the lead as the first newspaper to call for the people to take back control with its Final Say campaign. Now is the time for all of the left to unite behind the demand that the people are in the driving seat.

If people are satisfied with the results they can vote for the deal, accepting any changes to jobs, public services or safety standards as their choice. If, however, people don’t believe that what they’re offered matches what we currently have, or what was promised in 2016, they deserve the chance to reject the deal and think again about our relationship with the EU.

Brexit is not a game. Done badly it could cripple our economy for decades and harm our ability to deal with the real challenges we currently face, including inequality, rising child poverty, the lack of affordable housing and – as this summer has shown so clearly – the rising threat of climate change. Only a Brexit deal that strengthened our economy and our ability to tackle challenges at home and abroad, and which committed future governments to maintaining our current rights and protections, should be actioned – and the public deserve the right to say whether in their opinion the government have got such a deal or something far worse.

Billy Hayes is the former general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU)