Ex-Downing Street hatchet man Alastair Campbell was arriving at ITN’s studios to discuss the 52-48 majority, just as I was leaving.
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We’d spent the campaign jocularly, I thought, discussing the issues in TV debates.
Until I bet him 50 quid Britain would vote Out.
As we met, he fished the note out of his wallet, handed it to me like a soiled nappy and, lip curled, snarled, “Disaster” before stalking off.
Apart from one noisy Newsnight interview, we haven’t spoken since.
Nor was this unique.
Families and friends continue to be divided on the issue to this day.
Times columnist Matthew Parris described his technique for avoiding Brexit-voting ex-pals by sidling past with eyes averted.
He practised it on me.
Such contempt towards the legitimate democratic wishes of 17.4million voters became entrenched wherever Remainers had a say.
It identifies the civil service Blob — especially the Home Office and Foreign Office — as well as broadcasters such as Sky and the BBC, and politically assertive charities aptly called The Third Sector.
For me, the referendum was the climax of 30 years of covering political splits and feuds within the EU and between Britain and Brussels in particular.
It began in the 1980s, with furious battles between Tory Wets such as Michael Heseltine, Ken Clarke and Chris Patten and Thatcherite Dries like Norman Tebbit and Keith Joseph.
European Commission President Jacques Delors became a hate figure for eurosceptics.
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Bent bananas and size of condoms
I watched from the parliamentary press gallery as PM Margaret Thatcher delivered her fatal denunciation of his plan for an ever-closer European superstate.
“No! No! No!” she roared.
It was the moment The Sun published its legendary front-page headline: “Up Yours Delors!” We urged readers to face east at noon and “bawl at Gaul”. Sales soared.
Yet within six months, Thatcher was gone, deposed by the shifty John Major who immediately began stripping the UK of its sovereignty, behind closed doors at EU summits.
The crisis erupted at the 1992 Maastricht Summit which ditched the Common Market and created a federal super-state with its own passport, anthem and, eventually, the European single currency.
There was a summit somewhere in Europe every few months, under a chaotic rotating presidency.
But there was one constant presence — a blond-haired joker who stirred magical mischief at the expense of faceless eurocrats.
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The legend of Boris Johnson was born, exposing non-stop EU meddling over such petty issues as “bent” bananas, and controls over the size of condoms.
I was witnessing the beginning of the end of Britain’s EU membership and the flying start of BoJo’s career as a political superstar.
When Tony Blair swept to power in 1997, it seemed the eurosceptic game was up.
Not only did he drive the UK deeper into superstate territory but he was bent on seizing its crown as President.
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Instead, kow-towing to an unelected, unaccountable, undemocratic Brussels elite served only to entrench resistance from British voters.
Growing fury over this proud country dancing to the tune of faceless bureaucrats was captured by charismatic ex-banker Nigel Farage and his newborn UK Independence Party.
Farage won a seat in the so-called European Parliament and created a stink over its unelected “wet dish rag” leaders.
“Who are you?” he bellowed at hapless European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, in a video watched by millions.
It was Farage’s Ukip that forced Tory PM David Cameron in 2013 to promise the referendum that changed the course of history.
Seven years ago, Britain voted by a significant majority that EU membership was more trouble than it was worth.
Since then, the losers have been plotting to overturn this democratic decision.
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Every problem, major or minor, has been blamed on Brexit — including, somehow, the Covid virus leak from a Wuhan laboratory in China.
Indeed, it is the Leavers who have been portrayed as losers.
Poll after poll suggested we were suffering from “buyers’ remorse”, a profound regret at giving up a glorious prize.
Trade deals with vast Asian markets
Yet, as revealed by a poll in yesterday’s Sun, this is nonsense.
An overwhelming majority would vote Leave again.
Their only disappointment, barely three years since we finally cut ties, is that we haven’t acted more decisively to break free.
So what have we achieved from Brexit? Absolutely nothing at all, if you believe Remainers.
Only a headstart on Covid vaccines — against ferocious EU opposition.
Only a staunch independent voice in support of plucky Ukraine against Russia’s iron fist.
Only a series of valuable trade deals with vast Asian markets, and defence pacts with America and Five Eyes intelligence allies Australia and New Zealand.
These are not small accomplishments. They are vast pluses for Britain as a sovereign, independent voice
We need to do more to demonstrate our hard-won control of our democracy, borders and waters.
None of this will happen if Labour wins power.
Sir Keir Starmer, a declared enemy of Brexit, has made it clear he will drag us back under EU control as quickly as possible.
It now looms as perhaps the key issue at the next general election.
Vote Labour . . . vote Brussels.