'NEGOTIATING international treaties is no tougher than rolling out of bed’ is how easy some people think it is.

They also think that, once negotiated, treaties never have to be revised or improved upon. This is certainly the attitude they have when we are trying to forge a new relationship with the EU.

Partners in treaties, just as in business deals and any other relationship, may not act with good faith or, even when they do, have a fundamentally different interpretation of the agreement. This is never truer than with our ongoing relationship with the EU.

Overlaying new treaties on top of existing ones, as with the situation in Northern Ireland, complicates matters as does the recent history of the Troubles. The question of ‘good faith’ on the part of the EU arises because their chief negotiator wanted to punish the UK for daring to leave and gain independence. He thought that the price of freedom should be to sacrifice N.I. This explains the EU’s grossly wrong interpretation of our new relationship which they are using to divide part of the UK from Great Britain.

This behaviour from the EU has caused an increase in tensions and fears over taking a step closer to the resumption of the Troubles. Power sharing has come to an end which has caused further difficulties and heightened the need for the Prime Minister to step in and resolve those problems.

Having been in position since the end of last year, Rishi Sunak has taken a very different approach to leadership compared to his predecessors. He feels he has less need to occupy our TV screens which made many wonder what he has been doing as PM.

This past two weeks have certainly answered that. Not only is has he negotiated a new relationship with the EU but he has just announced a new approach to dealing with illegal immigration.

I have visited and taught English in Rwanda and know it to be a beautiful friendly country. They are willing to welcome people from all over the world who seek sanctuary from whatever troubles they face. Britain is willing to work with them to deliver on this commitment but the British legal system provides many hurdles along they way even though the Conservative Government has a clear democratic mandate to deal with this situation.

There ought to be no reason to flee across the English Channel on dangerous little boats from France. The French have built a reasonably civilised culture and society and they must be perplexed as to why genuine refugees would not want to stay there.

The next challenge is to negotiate a better relationship with the French President and get the legislation past Labour and through Parliament. That sounds like a tough job to me.