Remember Del Boy falling through the bar top?
Well that classic pratfall pretty much sums up Brexit for me.
The UK has just fallen through the trap door and is desperately trying to dust itself down, pretending nothing has happened.
In Del’s case it was only pride that was lost.
In the case of Brexit the UK has lost its economic course, its political leadership and much of the watching world’s confidence.
In one fell swoop.
You can argue until the cows come home whether Brexit is the right or wrong long-term strategy for the economic health of the UK.
But, by God, I wish some actual thought had gone into what might happen if the UK public opted – as they ultimately did – to sever the ties with the European Union.
If I was gobsmacked by the decision I am not sure what the word might be to describe the thoughts of our now dead duck Prime Minister David Cameron as the result came through.
Or Boris or Michael Gove for that matter.
As I woke from my slumber on Friday morning I was greeted by Brexiteer Chris Grayling on the tele box.
He welcomed the result but immediately said a period of stability and debate was needed before the country moved forward.
That instantly worried me and in the few days since my concern has grown.
I’m fearful because dithering and dragging heels gives out the wrong impression – it breeds the uncertainty that companies and the market so loathe and which opens the door to unnecessary economic damage.
What is needed now more than ever in the UK is strong leadership.
But in this historic moment we have none.
It is a scandal that a cogent plan for the UK’s exit from the EU has yet to be presented to the people, their parliament or to the EU.
I’m not talking about some back of a fag packet plan thought up on Friday morning as the reality of the referendum result dawned.
I’m talking about a blueprint for Brexit – a proper plan for disengaging with the largest single trading bloc anywhere on the planet.
It has to be delivered and it has to come soon or I fear the UK will slump back into recession.
Until Article 50 is triggered – and that won’t be until September at the very least when David Cameron’s successor is ushered in – we are sailing on stormy seas.
Even then, can a Prime Minister without a mandate from the people – a la Gordon Brown – really command the authority needed to bring party and country back together and make for the new economic dawn?
The City is a fevered place where time is money.
I suspect that months of uncertainty as the political merry-go-round continues to birl will send the markets spiralling downward.
Institutional investors won’t part with their cash if they are worried about getting a return.
And when order books dry up, firms start to hoard their cash – we saw that in 2008.
It meant less work, fewer opportunities and greater pressure on the disadvantaged. Not less.
These are dangerous times in which we live.
Brexit in my humble opinion was the wrong move for Britain.
But that is irrelevant. It has happened and it is now the reality.
We have to move forward on that mandate and we must do so quickly.