ONE of the quotes from The Art of War by Sun Tzu ("Master Sun", also spelled Sunzi) says: "All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near."

The Channel 4/HBO drama Brexit:The Uncivil War was a battle.

To use a modern war phrase it was 'a battle for hearts and minds'.

This was a strategy and programs used by the governments of South Vietnam and the United States during the Vietnam War to win the popular support of the Vietnamese people and to help defeat the Viet Cong insurgency.

As viewer, I felt this is what I was watching, a new war being fought via social media apps where algorithms were the heart beat of the science behind telling people what they wanted to hear.

It was a new type of warfare fought without anyone knowing it was being fought, calculating what you knew and presenting you with what you wanted to hear. The messages and slogans which backed up what you felt and thought in real time.

It was difficult to watch knowing what you were watching had happened. This was a real lie event which had happened, those who voted and taking part in the referendum on the EU.

Sometimes life events seem a life time away as the repercussions of this one vote linger on and on today.

Brexit:The Uncivil War was written by James Graham and starred Benedict Cumberbatch stars as strategist Dominic Cummings- the main political strategist for Leave and Rory Kinnear as Craig Oliver-main political strategist for Remain.

Putting aside what was real and what was created for the dramatisation of the film, I enjoyed it a lot.

This was going to be one of my must watch programmes in 2019 and I felt as a drama it did not disappoint me.

The story flew along and while you knew the outcome, it was fascinating to see how the plot thickened, how the water became murkier and murkier with every step of the battle for the voters.

You saw how the battle lines were drawn, the key phrases, the emotive words and the plans were hatched to win what at times appeared to be a game.

The trouble was when the whistle went and the announcement was made on the result it became all too real even for those who planned the political strategy.

Benedict Cumberbatch is always good value for money and produced a tour de force performance which held your gaze.

Rory Kinnear as Craig Oliver was the ying to Cumberbatch's yang, he was the old school of campaigning who was beaten by technology.

Each political battle in the US and UK, especially if it wins is seen as the way to win an election.

There is a new template which one side or the other wants to follow.

Politics today is a dark place. You are for a cause or against a cause, part of the problem or part of the solution.

Fake news is a rash on the face of what we called politics. Shout loud enough and you win.

It's all got dark and Machiavellian and maybe the Battle for Brexit launched this new world.

Certainly watching Brexit:The Uncivil War, I can see how it launched new political battle on both sides of the Atlantic.

As it stated at the end of the drama...the story goes on...