Star comment: Clarity vital to get best from Brexit

Margaret Thatcher was brought down by a row over the European Exchange Rate Mechanism while David Cameron was defeated when he gambled incorrectly on Brexit.

Though Theresa May has arguably steadied the ship since those momentous few weeks in the summer, she has so far failed to persuade voters, MPs or her own supporters that she's completely in control of our destiny.

A Shropshire Star survey shows that people locally remain convinced that we should leave the EU. Unlike many around the country, whose views have changed in the wake of the referendum result, people in Shropshire and Mid Wales are committed to restoring British sovereignty.

However, people in Shropshire and Mid Wales are not impressed with the way Brexit is being handled. And that quiet, simmering discontent is something that will not come as any great surprise. Nor, indeed, will it simply disappear.

Since last summer's vote, there have been plenty in the way of meaningless soundbites – Brexit means Brexit, or, we're planning a red, white and blue Brexit – but little meat on the bone.

We don't know, for instance, whether we'll retain access to the European trading block or be forced to pay tariffs, we don't know what our trading relationships will look like with the rest of the world. The only thing upon which there is some certainty is that there will be immigration controls to reduce the level of net migration to the UK.

Beyond that, however, all bets are off. Indeed, the existence of the British Union has never been so fragile as the Scots continue to seek a closer relationship with Europe than those of us south of the border. We remain in an era of great uncertainty.

Theresa May has shown some skill at managing her party. Putting Boris Johnson, David Davis and Dr Liam Fox in charge of Brexit was an effective way of silencing those who questioned her position on the EU. However, a feeling persists that Britain doesn't really know what it wants or what it's likely to get from the Brexit negotiations. Simply saying: "We want the best deal" doesn't cut it. The public and businesses of all sizes need to know what the best deal is so that they can prepare for it, while also making contingency should we fail to get it. Mrs May has a lot of work to do to convince the country that she is up to the task.