Details surrounding Brexit are still uncertain as the country speeds towards Theresa May’s Article 50 deadline at the end of March.

But one thing is for sure: the island of Britain will not actually leave the continent of Europe.

David Jones, a minister in the Government’s Brexit department, confirmed as much to a meeting of the House of Lords EU Home Affairs subcommittee.

“I think we’ve made it absolutely clear that, whilst Britain will be withdrawing from the European Union, we will not be, clearly, withdrawing from Europe either geographically or otherwise,” the minister said.

Gesture of friendship

He was answering a question from Lord Cormack on whether the Government was willing to make a gesture of friendship to EU nations in advance of negotiations.

Mr Jones said Britain would “remain very much part of Europe” and highlighted the country’s continued role in the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and Nato.

He added that it was in Britain’s interest to have good relations with the European Union after Brexit, “because it’s to our benefit, economically and otherwise”.

Assurances

The immigration minister Robert Goodwill also appeared before the committee and denied that the Government should guarantee the rights of EU citizens in the UK before other European countries gave the same assurances.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that “Brexit means Brexit”, and prominent Leave advocate Nigel Farage has encouraged the Government to “get on with it”.

But there is only so far democracy can go. Even the power of the referendum isn’t enough to physically move the land mass – to europhile Remainers’ undoubted relief.