The remarkable period of economic calm since the referendum is about to be shattered

Theresa May is about to trigger Article 50

Theresa May will write a piece of history on Wednesday

The phony war of the last nine months is over. Brexit will be a reality from Wednesday when British prime minister Theresa May writes to the 27 other European leaders to inform them that nine months after voting her country is beginning the process of leaving the European Union. Once that happens there is no going back.

I’ve written extensively since the Brexit vote last June that the current sense of optimism within ...