Strained Third Phase of Brexit Negotiations. A Walk in Santon Downham

St Mary's Church, Santon Downham

Whilst the UK's David Davis and the EU's Michel Barnier showed smiles at the press conference introducing today's next set of Brexit negotiations, there was an undercurrent of mutual frustration. On the one had the EU wanted the UK to enter into concrete proposals for the Northern Ireland border question, the status of EU and UK citizens, and of course the bill for outstanding commitments. Instead they had wishy washy wishlists with a constant undercurrent of trying to bring in trade negotiation - and a strict and very British avoidance of talking about the money. The UK, on the other hand wanted to bring in trade negotiations as soon as possible (see constant undercurrent in all recent position papers).

British and German trade associations issued a joint statement, urging the negotiators to consider the economic impact and how to minimise the transition to Brexit.

The Japanese will be urging Prime Minister Theresa May to end the 'sense of crisis' over Brexit during her visit this week. With Japanese businesses having used the UK as a base for entry into Europe, they need a continued good relationship between the UK and the EU.

According to today's Guardian article, 'UK Home Office 'cannot be trusted', say EU citizens' rights groups'. Campaign groups across the UK and Europe were strongly upset and perturbed, as I was, by the 100 letters mistakenly sent out last week to EU nationals, ordering them to leave the country. As a result, they wrote to EU negotiators today saying that the Home Office “cannot be trusted” and that both EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens in the EU should come under the ECJ as there was absolutely no confidence based on current attitudes and policies being developed in the UK.

The Telegraph had quoted yesterday that French sources were looking favourably on beginning to include trade in parallel in the negotiations. Today, this was denied by the French government.

There are already expectations voiced in the media that there will not be any clear decisions arising from this weeks negotiations.

On the last day of the Bank Holiday, we set off to Santon Downham, in the Brecks near Thetford. Everyone else was going to the coast, as judged by the traffic on Google maps, while the woods were cool and there was a river to walk along. The closer we got to the next bridge along the river walk, the more families we encountered, picnicking and paddling in the river. After our own packed lunch on a quiet bench a bit beyond in the forest, Jane took the pedestrian bridge across the river. I went down to the ford, dodged swimmers, inflatables and splashing children and carefully made my way across to meet her on the other side only getting my long legs wet. 

We remembered that in the past, you could get an afternoon tea at the flint clad St Mary's church in Santon Downham. Sadly not anymore, as the lady in the post office explained, there were just not enough volunteers to bake the cakes and man the stand for visitors. We had to make do with a Magnum icecream each from the shop (one mint, one raspberry double), which was doing a good trade. The journey back was delayed by half an hour as bank holiday traffic queued due to an A11 lorry breakdown.