Home Nations Brexit Talks. Trump and Macron Love-in. A Visit to Reading Town

Fragmented in a Reading Loo

Windrush recedes from the headlines after the grovelling u-turn by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, from hostile treatment to promise of assistance to Windrush claimants towards no-cost British nationality. A Royal Birth of a boy to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also captured the world for a day yesterday. Today's headlines concentrated on Jeremy Corbyn's inability to allay concerns by the Jewish community about increasing antisemitism in the Labour Party.

Brexit news is still in under most people's radar but there are some interesting developments. Intense negotiations have been going on between Westminster and the other home nations, about the repatriation of more than 150 EU powers. The worry has been that the UK government was trying to claw back power that the other nations wanted to retain for themselves. Unity between Wales and Scotland in negotiating against Westminster appeared to have been fractured by Wales agreeing to sign a deal with UK ministers, whilst Scotland was still arguing for more concessions.

The House of Lords discussions of the Exiting the EU Bill were also raising calls for insisting the UK stayed in some form of Customs Union with the EU. This was immediately refuted by the Prime Minister and raised a literally incendiary comment from an infuriated Jacob Rees Mogg, quoted in the Express, that the Lords were “playing with fire” by blocking Brexit and “it would be a shame to burn the House down”. Oh, and that with a new petition to debate the house of Lords gaining ground, they would "have to decide whether they love ermine or the EU more".

With aircraft design and safety still a matter for debate as part of the Brexit negotiations, Rolls Royce is contemplating a "technical measure" of moving its design approval process to the EU, to avoid Brexit disruption.

President Macron has traveled across the Pond as President Trump's new best friend and first official state visitor. The Middle East was high on the agenda, especially with POTUS reiterating his low esteem for the nuclear deal with Iran. The hope is that Macron might have persuaded the President to work together with Europe on the issue. Lots of hand-wrestling, hand-holding and mano-a-mano posturing. Boys, please grow up.

Perhaps the most telling clip of news today was the footage taken of the Canadian police officer dealing with the killer who ran down pedestrians in his car yesterday. The suspect was pointing something in his hand at the officer and repeatedly asking him to shoot him, saying he had a gun in his pocket. The incredibly brave armed officer, refrained from shooting and continued to approach the suspect, finally getting him to get onto the ground and hand-cuff him. In a world where shooting seems to be the easier option, the officer deserves a medal for delivering a live suspect for a proper trial.

We had been in Reading over the weekend, enjoying the last of the warm weather with daughter and son-in-law. We traveled down and returned avoiding motorways, which meant that we enjoyed both beautiful wooded Chilterns and numerous small towns and villages. We stayed for two nights at a hotel close to the University, one which can only be regarded as a homage to the artex and decay of the 1970's. Indeed, it was almost at the level of dilapidated student accommodation, rescued by a better decorated bedroom and a restaurant room with attentive service. The words 'lactose intolerance' and 'Brown bread' had not yet entered this time warp.

Reading itself had a good city centre with modern shopping malls that retained its grand architecture in the wide Broad Street and upper floor facades. I would have liked to find out more about the history of the town but the museum was closed over the days we were there and we could not find a map showing historic features of the town centre.

We did make an outing to "The Living Rainforest" at Hamstead Norreys, which had the promised lush vegetation, with a smattering of birds, beetles and reptiles. We would have liked to see more butterflies in the dedicated space. Perhaps later in the year.

Back home, it was community cafe today. One of the guests was researching the history of Milton school and ended up bringing back memories from the others on their and their children's experience at Milton Primary School. All over cups of tea or coffee and some excellent cakes.