As St Luke said: It's the repenting not the sinning that counts.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.  St Luke 15:7

St Luke was right of course, there is always room for contrition and forgiveness.

And this week another "sinner" has repenteth.

 Michael Portillo is the latest of the erstwhile Euro enthusiasts to see the light and recognise the damage being inflicted on Britain as a result of it's membership of the EU

He has now publicly recognised that being a member of the EU, far from being inevitable and the "only way forward", is in fact a brake on it's interests and will damage the country in the long term. He has concluded

Michael Portillo has repented.

that Britain will be better off out. These "better off outers" are growing in number among those members of the establishment who would once never hear a word said against the sacred project. Recently Nigel Lawson, the former chancellor has come out with similar arguments.

Nigel Lawson has repented.

 Others will follow. Some will lurk in the background, hoping the tide turns back in their favour, but they may have a long wait. Some, such as Max Hastings will come to the full conclusion that their senses are leading them to;  not only is the EU bad for Britain, which Hastings belatedly conceded a couple of years ago, but that we have to actually leave this backward looking organism as any meaningful reform of it is impossible.

Max Hastings has nearly repented. Keep thinking
 Max, you're almost there.

The next inevitable step will be for members of the current establishment to voice the same doubts, and come publicly to the same inevitable conclusions. There are a lot of vested interests  involved, and they will fight tooth and nail to retain their position, snouting at the EU trough. But their time is coming to an end, and it would be better for them to let it happen peacefully.

Hundreds of millions of people are becoming increasingly frustrated, and they will not be placated forever with a bit of a welfare handout from Berlin every year or so.