At the moment most of the Brexit action is in Westminster – not Brussels

A radio producer from London rang me up earlier this week and asked me how I was doing. When I said things were a little bit quiet over here in Brussels, she seemed shocked.

Brexit is still dominating the headlines, as it has for the past couple of years – so you could be forgiven for thinking that the life of a Brussels correspondent was always extremely busy.

This is only logical: Brussels is where the EU is, much of the Brexit action happens in Brussels, presumably you have a lot on.

Over the past few weeks, however, something strange has happened. Brexit has stayed at the top of the news agenda, but most of the main action has moved back to Westminster.

Yes, Theresa May and her ministers have been dashing back and forth across the channel – but they usually arrive in sealed convoys and don’t go anywhere near the press. The visits are seen as a bit of a sham out here – the EU says it has nothing to discuss. There is an overwhelming view on this side of the channel that the instructions the prime minister has been given from Westminster will not be accepted.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, summed it up nicely a couple of weeks ago: he said the prime minister was of course welcome to visit Brussels any time, but “for what?”

Ahead of the most recent meeting in Brussels with the UK’s Brexit secretary, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said dryly he would simply “repeat the EU’s position”.

It feels like the real action is in Westminster at the moment: the amendments, private members’ bills and rebellions. After the huge turnout at the last People’s Vote and Final Say march, which became the second biggest demonstration of the century, a second Put It To The People march will be taking place on Saturday 23 March, supported by The Independent.

I am certain the pendulum will swing back to Brussels – we’ve got next month’s European Council summit to look forward to – but the current calm before the storm does make a change from convincing people in Westminster that we’re really up against it in Brussels, when their calendar isn’t so busy.

In the meantime, my focus is on reporting the most important events to ensure our readers are up to date. Our Brexit in Brief email newsletter is the latest addition to The Independent’s growing range of diverse platforms and formats when it comes to covering Brexit.

Of course, busyness is relative. Maybe the reason it doesn’t feel so busy at the moment is because I can’t remember a time when I had the opportunity to write about anything other than Brexit. Perhaps it’s just that this state of exception feels like the new normal.

Yours,

Jon Stone

Europe correspondent