Reporters find no room at the inn

Weston Park: Journalists have been excluded

Talks about the future of the Northern Ireland political process have been taking place at Weston Park in Staffordshire since Monday.

BBC Northern Ireland political correspondent Mark Simpson has been following the negotiations from the 'media village' in a field outside the main gates.

It seems that the aim of these talks is to make people feel as uncomfortable as possible.

The politicians from Northern Ireland were brought here by the British and Irish governments in an attempt to create a 'pressure-cooker' atmosphere.

The 1,000 acre estate at Weston Park has been closed to the public, in the hope that the party leaders will have room for manoeuvre, in every possible sense.

As for the media, they are being given no room at all.

Unwelcome

No entry to Weston Park, no car-parking outside, no shelter, no food, no drink and no toilets.

Not only are the press being made to feel uncomfortable, but unwelcome too.

The irony of the situation is that the parties are keen to talk - not just inside Weston Park, but outside too

The aim was clearly to force the media to stay well away, or at least scatter them to the nearest motorway service station.

The result, however, is that they have stayed, even though they now resemble a bunch of agricultural correspondents rather than political correspondents.

Personally, I can now put on my CV that I have reported on the peace process from Stormont, Downing Street, the White House and a corn field in Staffordshire.

Microphones

The irony of the situation is that the parties are keen to talk - not just inside Weston Park, but outside too.

They seem to be wary of giving the impression back home that they are 'selling out', and they have been coming to the microphones at least once a day to try to reassure their grassroots.

Mark Simpson: "From cornfield to pressure cooker"

Speaking of grassroots, my suits are covered in them.

And just when the media were thinking that things could not get any worse, a Monday night downpour has muddied the waters - literally.

The short-term weather forecast is poor - and the talks forecast is not much better.

The early exchanges inside Weston Park indicated that a deal was a long way off.

If there is going to be an agreement here, all sides are going to have to compromise - and quickly.

After all, harvest time is approaching!