The most vital bit was her pledge to put any deal to both Houses of Parliament.
Why, in that case, fight a case in the Supreme Court to keep Parliament out of the process?
It was when she said this that the pound steadied, because the Europhiles in the City knew what she meant. What a weapon this places in the hands of the EU.
For decades, British Ministers in Brussels talks have been puzzled by the way in which their secret final negotiating positions appear to be known to the Superstate’s officials. Who can guess why that is?
Now the EU’s functionaries will also know that their allies in the Lords and Commons can undermine the British team at any time.
The mere knowledge that the deal will have to get past both Houses (where the majority of Lords and Commons wish we had voted to stay in) will mean constant pressure to give way. The EU’s salami-slicing machine will be whizzing, night and day.
She says she doesn’t want ‘membership’ of the single market. But that leaves room for keeping many, if not most, of its provisions.
As for her plan to leave the Customs Union without giving up its benefits, experts tell me this is simply impossible. One or the other, not both.
There was also a miserable section which suggested to me that she wants to keep the ghastly European Arrest Warrant. This is one of the very worst aspects of our EU membership.
It gives the courts of various squalid, half-free EU members the power to seize British subjects and carry them off.
Chairman May was very keen on this measure when she was at the Home Office, keeping us in it when she was free to leave it.
This process has only just begun. Confident speeches before battle are all very well. But resolve is not tested until the first blows are struck.
