‘We want an EU deal that is in the interests of the entire British family’

‘I’M PLEASED to be back in the beautiful Bailiwick today, as it hosts the British Irish Council — bringing together representatives of members of the UK family with our neighbours from Ireland to discuss matters important to us all, including Brexit.

My message to readers of the Guernsey Press is we are working hard to make a success of Brexit, not just for the United Kingdom but for Channel Islanders and Manxmen.

Firstly, I want to re-state the UK government’s commitment to protecting the Common Travel Area between the Crown Dependencies and Britain.

This agreement pre-dates Britain’s accession to the EU by many years and it is vital that we ensure these arrangements are preserved.

At the council, I’ll also update representatives on the significant progress we have made in the negotiations so far.

We have locked down entire chapters of the withdrawal agreement on the financial settlement and citizens’ rights, and the Crown Dependencies have been included in the terms of an implementation period.

This period means that businesses will be able to trade on the same terms as they do now – giving companies in Guernsey, the UK and right across Europe time to prepare for the change in the relationship between the UK and the EU.

Over the next few months the most important issue for us must be focusing on negotiating the right future relationship for the UK and the Crown Dependencies with the EU, and crucially one which does not diminish the long-standing ties between the UK and the wider British family.

I know, for example, that people in the Bailiwick are rightly proud of their rich agricultural and fishing heritage.

During my visit to Guernsey last August, I was shown around the historic fishing quay, and saw for myself the shellfish and oyster catches for which the Channel Islands are renowned.

On the same trip I visited Jerbourg Point and saw the patchwork of fields and farms that produce much of the island’s meat and dairy.

Farming and fishing are not just important for Guernsey’s economy, but central to the island’s way of life and to those of other Crown Dependencies.

So we are committed to agreeing a deal with the EU that is in the interests of the entire British family.

As we have made clear, we want trade with the EU to remain as frictionless as possible after we leave, including in agricultural and fisheries products.

And of course, it’s not just fishing and agriculture that are key to your prosperity. Alderney is also a vital hub for the gambling sector, Sark has established itself as a popular tourist destination, while business continues to thrive in Guernsey with companies such as Specsavers basing their headquarters here.

We are committed to helping to ensure this dynamic business environment can continue to go from strength to strength after Brexit.

After all, we are not pulling up the drawbridge when we leave the EU.

We want companies within the entire British Isles to have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same here, as we seek out wider opportunities for trade for a global Britain.

That is key to the deep and comprehensive future economic partnership we seek in negotiations, and we are confident that this is in the interests of both sides.

We also recognise the important contribution EU citizens living in the Bailiwick of Guernsey and across the Crown Dependencies make to your economy and your community, working in agriculture and other key industries.

The UK government is committed to working closely with Guernsey and the other Crown Dependencies to provide clarity and reassurance to these people.

In just over a week’s time, I will host the sixth formal quarterly meeting with Deputy St Pier and the other Chief Ministers of the Crown Dependencies.

This ministerial relationship, combined with extensive technical work by officials from the UK and Bailiwick’s governments, demonstrates our focus on achieving the best possible deal for all British jurisdictions, including the Crown Dependencies.

The historic, close relationship between the UK and Guernsey will go on deepening after we leave the EU – as we seize the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and forge relationships with new allies around the world.’