Belgian ambassador throws King Charles II treaty into EU fishing debate

British king granted 50 Flemish fishermen eternal rights' to English fishing waters in 1666

All is fair in love and cod war. And with the EU's coastal states under pressure to give way on Britain's demands for greater fishing catches in its waters post-Brexit, any old argument is worth a try.

When the issue of the future access of European fishing fleets was being discussed by EU ambassadors in Brussels on Wednesday the Belgian government's representative, Willem van de Voorde, made a notable intervention.