Wake Smith chairman Nick Lambert looks at the latest Brexit news...
The last few furlongs of the election campaign are underway, leading to Thursday's crunch date, which will hopefully shine some light on the way forward for the UK and its EU membership.
Predictably, the Conservatives are majoring on getting Brexit done, and also predictably, the Labour Party is ramping up messaging around the NHS, supported by a loose coalition of the SNP and the Liberal Democrats, who are seeking to beat the Tories in order to undo Brexit.
A key point that is being raised around Brexit, is the DUP's argument that the Northern Irish border solution, as set out in Boris Johnson's withdrawal agreement, is unsatisfactory and will lead to customs checks that could disadvantage Northern Ireland's free-trade with the UK.
Despite this challenge, the Prime Minister is adamant that his deal is 'oven ready' and will be implemented if his party secures a majority. Pundits are speculating that he only requires a Parliamentary majority of one, to deliver Brexit in some form, although the timeframe for that is exceptionally tight.
Polling is likely to be as inaccurate as ever, despite polls showing that Boris Johnson has a majority, it could all change quite radically as these last hours tick by.
Polls also suggest that the individual anti-Brexit tactics of opposing parties have not secured the vast numbers of voters that they were hoping for, with the Liberal Democrats in particular making far fewer gains than predicted. They are now opting for cross-party support aimed at creating another hung Parliament.
For many businesses, a hung Parliament is the least favoured result, with both business leaders and economists recognising that a majority Government would be a preferable outcome for the economy.
It is widely acknowledged that if one party were to win an overall majority, it might end the stalemate that has consumed the House of Commons over the past three years, establishing a Government that has the authority to move the country forward at a more galvanised pace.
One thing that has transpired following three years of Brexit debate in Parliament, throughout the media, and in homes, is the way that voting has changed as a result.
Brexit is one of the most defining points in this election, trumping domestic political agendas for some.
Traditional party devotion amongst the public no longer has the capture that it has enjoyed for so many years, with swathes of people rejecting their historical party allegiances to vote on an 'in or out' basis and switching allegiances completely to secure their favoured Brexit outcome.
And for that reason alone, this is likely to be the most unpredictable election outcome in living memory!
