Guernsey takes centre stage with BIC summit

GUERNSEY found itself at the centre of national political attention for a while yesterday as what was meant to be a routine summit meeting of the British-Irish Council found itself taking place mere hours after the biggest UK political crisis in years.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and new Minister of State for Northern Ireland Conor Burns talk about Boris Johnson's demise at yesterday’s British-Irish Council Summit, held at St Pierre Park Hotel. (Picture by Sophie Rabey, 31017254)

Delegates from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Jersey and the Isle of Man joined Guernsey Chief Minister Peter Ferbrache in a summit that had matters such as town planning on the agenda, but which also spent some time discussing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation.

Michael Gove, who started the week as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, had been supposed to attend on behalf of the UK government, but after being sacked in the run-up to Mr Johnson’s resignation, his place was taken by the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Conor Burns, a friend and supporter of Mr Johnson.

During a short press conference held at the close of the summit, it was not long before Mr Burns and Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin were fielding questions on the currently fraught relationship between the two governments in the wake of Brexit.

But the topic of the next UK Prime Minister was not far away, with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon diplomatically stating that he had not been the most popular PM in the country when asked about his fate.

Speaking afterwards, she said that in her view the Tory government had been bad for all of the UK and she, along with Labour, would welcome a general election. ‘We just have to hope that England does not vote Tory again.’

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford reiterated his call for there to be a general election.

Miss Sturgeon has long fought for another referendum on Scotland becoming independent, but she said that even if this came about she would still wish for the country to retain its connection to the Crown and its seat at the BIC table.

Leading a government in demanding times could make a leader feel isolated, she said, and being able to talk to others in a similar situation was beneficial.

Deputy Ferbrache said he was a firm believer in the benefit of the BIC meetings, and the sharing of experiences and ideas.

He had heard from Mr Drakeford what was being done to help vulnerable people in Wales, for example, and believed that could be adapted for Guernsey.

Jersey’s outgoing Chief Minister John Le Fondre said it was ‘all about the experience and building the relationship’.

He cited the example of the Jersey’s ‘Spend Local’ cards which gave every islander £100 to spend locally during the first lockdown.

This had been picked up in Northern Ireland, and other jurisdictions had expressed an interest in the idea.