Busy Brexit Day with the EU releasing the draft of their draft of a withdrawal agreement. This still needs to get past the remaining 27 EU member countries but does spell out in more legal terms what EU negotiators through had been agreed with UK in December. Where there was absence of definition from the UK, they helpfully put in some suggestions. The major one being about the establishment of a common regulatory area between the EU, the UK and Northern Ireland. This went down like a bomb at Westminster with the Prime minister refuting the option. It also contains an item on restricted rights of movement for UK citizens living abroad. The punishment clause - just in case the UK misbehaves during the transition, is back. The BBC's reality check is a good reference for the document - see here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43228161. Presumably these are all negotiating positions ready for the Prime Minister meeting with the European Council President Donald Tusk tomorrow and before her keynote speech planned on Friday.
In the meantime, Former Prime Minister gave a scathing speech on the current situation and handling of the Brexit negotiation with frequent references to a radical minority gunning for Brexit by all means. He spoke so eloquently at the Creative Industries Federation, Somerset House, that Jacob Rees-Mogg had to immediately rebut with a character assassination in a BBC interview afterwards. I'd never seen John Major so animated and obviously angry at the idiocy of current Brexit negotiations - full copy of his speech here, as media only showing clips. http://www.johnmajor.co.uk/page4412.html.
Minor ructions across the pond as the usual White House turmoil continues. Trump offends his Attorney General Jeff Sessions re a new investigation, who counters "As long as I am the attorney general, I will continue to discharge my duties with integrity and honor, and this department will continue to do its work in a fair and impartial manner according to the law and Constitution." White House Communications Director Hope Hicks, (who I had not heard of before but apparently was a key Trump ally) resigns.
Again we have been spared the snow which is causing havoc, especially up North in Scotland. The bit we had led to more activity on our bird feeder and I tried to get some decent pictures with the one of two Robins on the feeder at the same time being one of the best. Also did some more microscope work on a particular on-going project for our Cambridge Open Studios in July.
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