With a year to go until March 29th 2019, we still have the likes of Tony Blair trying to stop Brexit and reverse the decision of the British people. In letting these people dominate debate, we are missing opportunities to debate how we will make the UK better after we leave the EU, argues Rory Broomfield.

Since the referendum in 2016, many in the Remain elite have had a collective nervous breakdown. None more so than the likes of Tony Blair, Andrew Adonis and AC Grayling (just follow his Twitter account). What we've seen is a number of news outlets giving huge amounts of time to these figures and others besides (Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell and Gina Miller spring to mind). The result: we have spent the past 21 months talking about issues that were settled by the EU referendum result rather than focusing on what the country will do with our newly retaken freedoms after Brexit.

Why this is worth mentioning is because it was clear the vote to leave the EU was a vote to 'take back control' of our laws, money and borders; it was a vote to leave the EU's institutional framework. What that obviously means is to leave the European Court of Justice, the EU's Commission, Council etc.. It means leaving the EU's so-called Single Market and Customs Union, as was made clear during the EU referendum.

What has happened, however, is that the constant changes in Brexit policy by the Labour Party (as it's an 'ongoing conversation', apparently), coupled with the involvement of people like Gina Miller, George Soros and Tony Blair, has meant that issues ranging from fisheries, farming, trade and borders have been put on the backburner. It means that people like Blair can claim that stopping Brexit is more likely than it was six months ago.

Tony Blair's wild claim that stopping Brexit is closer seems to be just his opinion: a poll by ComRes for the Daily Express shows that 65% of people oppose a second referendum; however, the result of interventions from him and others has helped put pressure on the government, delayed significant pieces of legislation such as the Customs Bill and has helped mean that the Cabinet is yet to discuss post-Brexit immigration systems. It means that nearly two years on from the Brexit vote we are not having a proper debate on how we can make the most of the opportunities that Brexit will present to the UK.

The sooner we get to that point the better. These tactics to try and stop Brexit are just frustrating the country's ability to change for the better. We need to continue putting the positive case for becoming an independent, self-confident nation again. We have to stop listening to those that reject the democratic decision of the British people to leave. 

All views expressed in contributions by named authors are their own and may not reflect the views of The Freedom Association.