The inaugural meeting of the Anguilla All-Party Parliamentary Group was held in Whitehall on Wednesday July 18, chaired by Mike Gapes, Labour MP for South Ilford and addressed by Mrs Blondel Cluff, the Government of Anguilla Representative to the UK and ERU. Mr Gapes has been a strong supporter of Anguilla for some time, recently presenting Anguilla’s case of the UK Parliament for support by the UK throughout the Brexit process in the light of the inherent risks to the vulnerable territory that has a direct border with Saint Martin, a Dutch country and part of metropolitan France that is deemed an outer most region of the EU.
Mrs Cluff gave a presentation to the APPG, updating them on Anguilla’s recovery from Hurricane Irma, and developments on Brexit within the EU in respect of the crucial developmental aid provided by the European Development Fund that is Anguilla only significant source of developmental aid as the UK had yet to designate alternative funding. A report on the recent Joint Ministerial Council held in London that was attended by Chief Minister Victor Banks was also provided.
The meeting was well attended by a range of parliamentarians including Baroness Hooper CMG, who agreed to be appointed the Co-Chair, whilst the vice chairmanships were taken up by Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow and Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP for Slough where the Anguillian diaspora that numbers thousands has resided for over sixty years and remains an active element of the Slough community today. Others members of parliament in attendance included the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Lamont, Bill Wiggins, Mr Wes Streeting, Mr Mike Kane, and Mr Virendra Sharma MP for Ealing, Southall whose constituency also comprises a well established, substantial Anguillian community.
Apologies were received from Lord Howell, former Minister of State for the Commonwealth; Sir Nicholas Soames MP; Ms Catherine West MP; Sir Henry Bellingham, former Foreign Office Minister of State for the Overseas Territories and Ms Liz McInnes MP.
Mrs Cluff expressed the hope that the position of the British Overseas Territory would improve, overcoming institutionalised barriers that it has experienced in the past and that the potential of Anguilla would be unlocked as an intrinsic element of Global Britain. It was agreed that the West India Committee would take on the role of Secretariat for the Anguilla APPG and that a future meeting would be held at the West India Committee Rooms to introduce guests to the work of the Royal Charter institution on behalf of Anguilla and wider Caribbean.
– Press Release
