Treading a fine line with the UK

It is much fairer to say that Sir Philip, now a States Senator and, in effect if not name, our foreign minister, was eager to discover if there were any impediments to independence if such a course of action became imperative in the light of changing circumstances.

Senator Sir Philip has now returned to the issues of the Island’s identity and the nature of its relationship with the UK. As a result, it is likely that there will be new accusations concerning his supposed enthusiasm for the Island to pursue a path to independence.

The truth of the matter is that the man who now has front-line responsibility for our relationship not only with the UK but also with other communities in Europe and throughout the world is saying something far more subtle. He is drawing attention to the extent to which the UK has in recent months taken decisions that have not been in the best interests of the Channel Islands and suggesting that a degree of assertiveness will be required if we are to defend our industries, our rights to formulate policy in vital areas such as taxation, and privileges which have remained inviolate over eight centuries.

Senator Sir Philip’s message is an important one in that it alerts us to the possibility of a relationship which has stood the test of time being eroded by the UK’s gradual but relentless pursuit of what it sees as its own interests. If we fail to draw attention to our long-established rights and the long-accepted principle that we regulate the vast majority of our own affairs we might well become the ‘satellite’ of the UK that the Senator describes.

But it has to be said that very fine judgment will be required as we assert our position and emphasise that the Crown Dependencies are far more than offshore UK counties. The power – if not the moral high ground – is in the possession of the UK coalition government, so alienating it by stamping our feet too petulantly or waving ancient charters too blatantly could well do more harm than good.