Just when it looked like Michel Barnier had settled for the quiet life following five years of intense negations with the UK over Brexit, he is ready for a return to the political fray with a run for the French presidency.

Barnier has strong links with farmers as a former agriculture minister in France and a long-standing interest in Ireland going back to his time as Commissioner for Internal Markets.

He is also a good friend of a former Irish commissioner and Barnier’ss announcement got me wondering would big Phil ever consider a comeback in national politics as well?