THE verbal overflow from Theresa May at Florence was largely looking back. It started with a reference to the Lancaster House speech. It implies that no more needs to be added .

Amid all the generalist phrases in the speech about common this and that and values, all Mrs May was angling for was a two-year extension to head off the cliff-fall.

But the deil is in the detail, as we say north of the Tweed, and that was lacking. Underpinning the future was the wish from the Prime Minister for a “bespoke” agreement. In other words, we demand special treatment, not as a state wanting to join but one that has left the EU after rancour, years of obstinacy and “thkweeming”.

There were the same tired delusions of entitlement and nothing specific to underpin a staged way forward. It looks like the EU will say “go back to start”. The speech resembled a start that should have been made 16 months ago, with the intervening time used to flesh out the detail.

After all, the Cabinet meeting the day before had input into the speech. What has been happening since the referendum? Strategically and operationally, it looks like the UK Cabinet could not, as they say in the west of Scotland, “run a menage”.

We no doubt await to see what positive detail, if any, David Davis can build on it.

John Edgar,

4 Merrygreen Place,

Stewarton.