Guernsey Press

Election in UK 'will not halt island's Brexit work'

A SNAP general election in the UK will have 'little, if any, material impact on the Brexit negotiations', Guernsey's top politician said yesterday as he reacted to Prime Minister Theresa May's shock announcement.

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Gavin St Pier gave an assurance that the island had contacts with representatives from all UK political parties.

Local business leaders said Guernsey should carry on with its Brexit work and it was better to have an election now so that it did not interfere with the negotiations to leave the European Union.

Deputy St Pier said the news would not affect the island's work to prepare for Brexit.

'The States maintains a wide network of contacts across the UK political spectrum, including through the All Party Parliamentary Channel Islands Group,' the Policy & Resources president said.

'Should the proposition for an early general election be successful, we stand ready to work with the new UK Government whatever the result.

'In the meantime, the States' work to prepare for Brexit will continue and was helpfully supported by the reports from the House of Lords' EU Committee and House of Commons' Justice Committee last month, both of which are cross-party committees.

'The six-week period before the proposed election will have little, if any, material impact on the Brexit negotiations.'

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