I don't subscribe to this at all. I think that the better explanation is that the people who are negotiating with the EU are, almost to a man, convinced EU-phil

I don't subscribe to this at all. I think that the better explanation is that the people who are negotiating with the EU are, almost to a man, convinced EU-philes (for want of a better word). And so they favour the EU position in the negociations, instead of just implementing the will of the people.