Will He, or Won't He?

 

France's Fox To Be Shot

 

SCOOP in our Morning Trade UK newsletter: The UK is looking at a PERMANENT rerouting of more trade to the EU via northern ports to protect against FUTURE French tantrums that threaten the Dover-Calais route. pic.twitter.com/CFd7BdlSJG

— Emilio Casalicchio (@e_casalicchio) November 5, 2021

Armistice Declared

 

France has temporarily backed down from implementing its various threats over fishing rights around Jersey, allowing time for the UK and France to continue talking for the next day or so.

Depending on which side of Brexit they stand, the Twitterati are claiming it's either because Jersey granted 49 temporary licences yesterday, or because Macron backed down in the face of the UK's threat to retaliate.

In reality Macron was told to wind his neck in the by the EU, who have been less than forthcoming with any display of public support for him.

Lost in Translation - The Language of Diplomacy

 

There once was a time when French was known as the language of diplomacy.

Over the weekend a letter penned by the French PM Jean Castex (with his hand guided by Macron) to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrt the fishing dispute, caused something of a diplomatic meltdown between France and Britain.

Various journalists, academics and pro/anti Brexit bods spent the weekend arguing over the last sentence of the letter. Specifically whether it was a threat to punish Britain for leaving the EU, or whether it was that people need to be made aware that there are downsides to leaving he EU.

In reality either "translation" means in effect the same thing. Given that French was the language of diplomacy, Castex knew full well what he was saying; namely:

Pour encourager les autres!