THE return of Parliament last week generated a number of issues which have the potential to impact on the Sussex community.

Bizarrely two came under the heading of a very different part of the United Kingdom. As they both related to a certain degree with Brexit one wonders if the phrase “United Kingdom” is a suitable name for us to continue to use until this Government or a future one finds a way to re-unite our nations.

The impact of a 52/48 referendum vote should have raised concerns amongst people who are elected to provide our various nations with collective leadership.

However, the anger and vitriol that emerges from many of them every time people who voted to remain call for their opinions and concerns over Brexit to be responded to, suggests that rather than providing leadership, these men and women are more focused on dividing and conquering so they can get on with what they consider to be a blind instruction to leave, irrespective of its costs and consequences.

During last week the two matters I spotted which impact on Sussex have a geographical link to Ireland.

The first was a debate that took place in the House of Commons on Tuesday when the Brexit Minister Dominic Raab began with a statement that was intended to explain how matters had developed over the summer and what our departure plans look like. His statement included the following comment: “As the Government have made clear, the EU proposals are unacceptable, because they would create a customs border down the Irish sea. We are determined to reach a solution that protects the Belfast agreement and avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland.

“We will not permit a customs border down the Irish sea, which would put at risk the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom.”

Most people who remember the troubles in Ireland in the 1970s and 80s would certainly want this hard border to be prevented, simply because it will reopen wounds that have begun to heal or at least which have a strong sticking plaster in place.

However, later on in the debate Dominic made two further comments: “One of the great advantages of Brexit is that we will be an independent coastal state, with all the rights under international law that that brings.” And then later “On the Brexit negotiations, the Hon Gentleman will know that our White Paper proposals envisage us becoming an independent coastal state.

“We will want to continue co-operating with our EU partners in this sort of area, but we will have all the rights and advantages that come with being an independent coastal state under international law.”

It does seem hard to understand how our Government can argue for our nation to become a coastal state when this is clearly at odds with the way in which this will work for Northern Ireland, which is partially coastal and partially land locked to Eire, but just as importantly this places coastal areas such as Sussex in a different context to our role when our nation was part of a dependent non-coastal state under international law.

Surely this raises the need for us to be informed regarding this, which one assumes all Sussex MPs whose constituencies include coastal area will explain in the next few days?

After all the Sussex coast in the 18th Century placed us in a very vulnerable position and while this is not likely to be part of the future, we deserve to know what will be the case.

The second issue which arose during last week was a statement by Karen Bradley who is the MP for Staffordshire Moorlands in the centre of England yet also the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland!

Her comments related to the importance of local decision making to be reinstated and for devolved power to return to Stormont.

It was clear that one of the major barriers of this is the current lack of clarity over the Brexit.

However, her statement acted as something of a reminder of how vital local devolution is in the UK and in the case of Sussex, this raises the question of what will happen in our area.

The ideas that were being explored by East and West Sussex county councils along with Surrey County Council and by Brighton and Hove along with the neighbouring district councils appear to have gone quiet. It might be that our councils will also take inspiration from Dominic Raab who on Tuesday stated: “I think that every part of the United Kingdom wants to see us strive to get the best possible deal, which will work for all corners of the UK”