These public relations are important
‘THE relationship between us and the Crown Dependencies is a subtle one,’ said former Home Secretary Jack Straw, explaining the nuances of dealing with a Crown Dependency compared to any of his other responsibilities.
Looking after the Crown Dependencies was a bit of a political football in the post-Straw period.
The role had long sat with the Home Secretary, in his role as a Privy Counsellor, before, in less than a decade, that responsibility passed to the Lord Chancellor, then the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, before finally landing on the desk of the Justice Secretary.
This week the island hosted Conservative MP and former banker Mike Freer, who has worn the CDs hat in government for the past 11 months, and he even popped to Sark.
It was heartening to hear him say that he had been able to ‘explore inter-island relationships and their constitutional relationships with the UK in more depth’ over the three-day visit.
For Guernsey, building understanding of who we are and where we sit with the United Kingdom is crucially important. It’s not easy when cabinet reshuffles move people around frequently, but the effort still has to be made.
The islands have at times been rushed into action by the UK government’s actions. Enhancing constitutional understanding, and building personal relationships can only help our case.