Nigel Farage may have declared June 23rd “Independence Day”, but economists were less than elated at the prospect of a recession in the UK and a fall in GDP that is likely to impact the rest of the Europe. Threats to the economy now abound, but we all know what we must do: strive for unity and ride out the storm of uncertainty created by the ultimate beggar’s muddle. 

Of course, I will rise to the challenge, but not before I have walked from Land’s End to the Scottish borders shouting at the top of my voice: “I want payback.” I do want unity, but I can’t see how we can achieve it without the Brexit frontrunners taking responsibility for the consequences of their actions. 

While those consequences have yet to unfold, let me quote from the Economist Intelligence Unit’s report ‘Out and down: Mapping the impact of Brexit’ as follows: “Leaving the EU would trigger a recession and set real GDP back by 6% by 2020 – a 14-15% devaluation of the pound against the US dollar; delayed investment and spending decisions would hit real GDP growth most in 2017; weaker trade ties would exacerbate this decline from 2018 onwards, therefore, in real terms the UK economy would be 6% or £106bn worse off in 2020.”

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has the temerity to suggest that there is no rush to sort out our status with the rest of the EU. What does he expect to be happening in the interim? At the time of writing, the UK’s credit rating has been downgraded, the pound has tanked, along with 10-year bond yields. Banks, construction companies and airlines have all seen their share prices hit, but somehow in the midst of the turmoil I have to make a success of my business. This I will achieve, after all I have kept going through the credit crisis and its aftermath, so why not square up to a withdrawal from the EU? 

But in my spare time I will be demanding payback for what I believe to be the reckless actions of the Brexit camp. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin might think Brexit is a good idea, but I don’t. I wasn’t fooled by promises of new hospitals springing up across the land. Neither am I hopeful that the UK will transform into a happy and prosperous country by curbing immigration. In any event, how is that possible when the trade deal we so desperately need with the EU will come with “free movement of people” as a given?

I may be out of hope with the Brexiteers, but I will not cease making demands upon them. From now on let’s have the truth – they can start with explaining their shameful promise to divert £350m a week to the NHS. 

When I am lying awake at night fighting off visions of the UK’s economic decline, I want Johnson, Gove, Farage and the rest to be doing exactly the same. More than that, I want them to rise from disturbed nights in a cold sweat, get out there and justify their actions by making a success of the economy against all the odds. They may just be able to achieve this by embracing the ablest of the Remain campaigners – those who are technically and emotionally equipped to come up with the Best of British, whatever.

Looking ahead, I can’t see much forthcoming from the EU until 2017 after German and French elections have been held. Then the daggers could be out for the UK in negotiations and in the worst of ways – that is in cool and calculated hands.

We can also expect the shortest Conservative handover in history if Boris has to face the dispatch box. I will be expecting a vote of no confidence in him as PM, from the opposition and his own back benchers. Above all, when we are next invited to go to the polls we must avoid electing a coalition of disunity – it is essential that we come up with a government of national unity, or risk a country torn apart by divisions that will take decades to repair.

I am signing off as a patriot – battered, scathed, but not down and out!