“Extend and pretend” is often what the European Union is accused of doing best when faced with a crisis. It did that a bit too literally this week with its Solomon judgement on the date by which the UK is expected to come up with a Brexit solution.

EU leaders extended the extension they had already granted Prime Minister Theresa May to October 31, which at least gives businesses and markets six more months to prepare for the potential shock of a no-deal Brexit, if nothing of significance has changed by then.