The Foreign Affairs Committee, a type of pressure group in the House of Commons in London, has recommended that UK nationals residing in the Overseas Territories should be allowed to vote and hold elected office there.
The group of cross-party parliamentarians suggested a timetable for this to be done for those persons, as well as for [other] Overseas Territories’ citizens living in such a territory – but the Foreign and Commonwealth Office says it “does not plan at a future date to publish such a timetable”.
Here is the recommendation by the Foreign Affairs Committee in bold type text:
The UK Government should initiate a consultation with the elected governments of the OTs and work with them to agree a plan to ensure that there is a pathway for all resident UK and British Overseas Territory citizens to be able to vote and hold office in [the] territory. In its response to this report the FCO should lay out a timetable for this consultation process and set a deadline for phasing out discriminatory elements of belongership, or its territory-specific equivalents.
The response of the FCO, in italics, is as follows:
The UK Government understands the committee’s concerns and continues to impress upon OT governments the importance of allowing people who have made their permanent home in the territories the ability to vote and engage fully in the community, but recognises the desire of island communities to maintain their cohesion, hence the need for a reasonable qualifying process. We understand the OT’s concerns, sensitiveness and historic background on this issue.
Our vision for the OTs is vibrant and flourishing communities, with the widest possible opportunities for their people. We expect the Territory Governments to meet the same high standards as the UK Government in maintaining the rule of law, respect for human rights and integrity in public life, delivering efficient public services, and building strong and successful communities. In the spirit of a relationship based upon partnership, we will continue to support and encourage consistent and open political engagement on belongership and its territory-specific equivalents, whilst respecting the fact that immigration decision are primarily a matter for OT governments.
The FCO does not plan at a future date to publish such a timetable.
The above information is contained in a UK Government document which was distributed to media houses by Premier Victor Banks during the Anguilla Government’s press conference on Tuesday, May 14.
