Following yesterday's votes on Brexit negotiations in parliament, it seems that the British government has signed up - in principle - to further backstops against a "hard" Brexit in order to appease rebel MPs. This is in addition to the existing backstop they've accepted to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland.
At this point, it seems clear that there are only two realistic outcomes from the Brexit process. Either the UK crashes out without a deal, or it accepts a relatively "soft" Brexit which looks a lot like some form of EFTA membership. Pretty much anything else - including staying in the EU - looks to be off the table.
(This was always the likely pair of options on offer but that's not pertinent to the question. What's changed is that this is now written into the negotiations and is obvious for all to see.)
Given that we're at this point, I no longer understand why the government continues to prevaricate on what it claims to want from the process. I do appreciate that they are worried by the prospect of a Tory party split along EU faultlines and of a radical Labour government. But now that we're down to a choice between "soft" or "no-deal", these issues are going to have to be faced one way or the other. To wait is merely delaying the inevitable.
Many voters and business leaders are crying out for clarity and a definitive plan to move forward. Every day we don't get it is hurting the UK economy and the reputation of the Tory party. Therefore I presume the government must see some advantage to the continued delay: I just can't see what it is. What are they hoping to gain?