Did David Davis just accidentally admit we can halt Brexit?

“When the facts change, I change my mind.” Keynes is said to have uttered these words when challenged on shifting his views.

Facing the Brexit Select Committee today, the man in charge of us quitting the EU repeated those words. 

In a welcome reversal of what he has previously claimed, David Davis now says the UK could stay in the Customs Union and Single Market during the transition period.

He also said the UK could accept the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in that time.

These three elements, taken together, look very similar to membership of the European Union (albeit without any democratic input).

But David Davis rejected keeping us in the Customs Union in the long run – a reversal of his previous position.

There’s a silver lining to this economic idiocy. If the Brexit Minister can change his mind, surely the public can too? 

WATCH: David Davis just admitted at @CommonsEUexit committee that he “changed his mind” on his previous support for the Customs Union.

If Davis can change his mind, so can the British public. Please RT so everybody knows they can keep an open mind on Brexit: pic.twitter.com/KUbTsVSr8K

— Open Britain (@Open_Britain) January 24, 2018

There is a growing consensus that Article 50 is revocable – meaning halting Brexit is still a possibility, if there is support for it.

But have the ‘facts changed’ on Brexit? Arguably they have: 

• The NHS has been given just £350m extra to cover the entire winter – miles from the £350m per week promised by Brexiteers. And a quarter of Brexit voters feel misled by Vote Leave.
• In fact, the UK is expected to lose £350m a week as a result of Brexit
• Russian fake news may have played a role in the Brexit vote, leading to several major investigations
• Brexiteer promises on Northern Ireland can only be met with a ‘soft Brexit’ 
• The UK will not have control over its borders for many years to come, despite Leave pledges

Despite claims our economy would boom in a post-Brexit wonderland, the reality couldn’t be more different.

And as the facts change, voters do appear to be changing their minds. The public would now back a fresh in/out referendum in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

With just eight words, Brexit Secretary David Davis has just opened a very exciting prospect: if the public chooses to do so, we can stay in the EU.

Either way – a huge row is brewing in the Tory party. In the same Committee hearing, Brexit-obsessive Jacob Rees-Mogg asked Davis: “If after Brexit the UK is paying into the EU budget, and subject to its laws, won’t the UK be a vassal state?” Cue awkward laughs from the Brexit Secretary…

Josiah Mortimer is Editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter.