Developments in a couple of mediation stories we’ve previously followed.

Firstly on this side of the pond the continuing mediation over Coventry City’s use of the Ricoh arena where there appears to be a new area of dispute, whether the mediator is in contact with one of the parties.

Mediators remain neutral and at Northwest mediation we try to contact both parties at the same time to keep the information flowing, but Wasps’ vice Nick Eastwood has said that he has had no contact from the mediator, local Tory MP Chris Heaton-Harris.

Mr Heaton-Harris has maintained that he has been trying to contact Wasps but without success and remains willing to engage in discussions.

Mediation is normally confidential but on this occasion it seems that Wasps are foregoing the confidentiality to try to undermine the person conducting the process.

It can be difficult if one party criticises the mediator but it can also be a way of opening lines of communication where they have broken down. No doubt Mr Heaton-Harris will be taking the chance to get both sides talking again when he is not out campaigning for re-election.

Meanwhile on the other side of the Atlantic, Northwest Mediation’s favourite self proclaimed expert in everything, Donald J Trump has again offered to be “a mediator or an arbitrator or a facilitator” for the Israelis and Palestinians.

He made the comment to the Palestinian leader who was in Washington last week.

A lot of people get confused by the role of a mediator, Northwest Mediation doesn’t act as an arbitrator but it does facilitate parties reaching an agreement of their own devising. Donald’s abilities, from where we sit, seem to be more at polarising positions than bringing people together, but maybe we only see the narcissistic, self-publicist side of the man and not the conciliator.

But perhaps we only hear about him upsetting the Palestinians by appointing David Friedman a supporter of the settler movement he upset the Palestinians and by pledging to move the US Israeli embassy into Jerusalem (the eastern part of which the Palestinians claim as their capital).

Or perhaps that’s just fake news.

Whatever your dispute - national, international, commercial or personal, neighbour, family or employment mediation by trained, accredited and experienced mediators can help. Call Ed Johnson on 07931318347 or via email at ed.johnson@northwestmediation.co.uk