Minister for External Relations holds meetings with Liberal Democrat and Labour Party representatives

November 23, 2022

Left: Minister for External Relations, Deputy Philip Ozouf, with Lord Wallace of Saltaire.

Right: Meeting with Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Steve Reed MP.

From 14 to 17 November, the Minister for External Relations, Deputy Philip Ozouf, undertook a busy schedule of engagements with representatives of UK political parties in London. There was a particular focus on outreach with the Liberal Democrats, whose party conference Deputy Ozouf had been due to attend in September but which was cancelled following the sad death of Her Majesty the Queen.

In accordance with the Minister’s desire to build valuable connections Liberal Democrat parliamentarians, officials based at the Government of Jersey London Office facilitated meetings with five peers in the House of Lords:

• Baroness Cathy Bakewell, the Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs;
• Lord Tom McNally, former Minister of State for Justice with responsibility for Crown Dependencies, together with Lord Alan Beith, Lords Deputy Chairman of Committees;
• Lord Robin Teverson, Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson on Energy and Climate Change and former MEP;
• Lord William Wallace, academic and Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson on the Cabinet Office.

Deputy Ozouf discussed a wide range of priority issues with each parliamentarian, including, for those less familiar with Jersey, the constitutional relationship between the Island and the UK. The meetings explored the various ways in which the UK Government can continue to properly safeguard and promote Jersey’s interests in the post-Brexit context, for example with regard to fishing in relation to the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and participation in non-EU Free Trade Agreements. Peers were particularly keen to understand how Jersey is striving to cultivate a positive post-Brexit relationship with France and the European Union, despite some challenges.

The conversations also covered Jersey’s role in meeting the highest standards as an International Finance Centre, in tackling financial crime, and specifically its successful record to date in imposing sanctions on Russian assets, in lockstep with the UK’s sanctions regime.

Deputy Ozouf and UK Affairs officials also held an introductory meeting with the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Steve Reed MP of the Labour Party, to discuss Jersey’s interests and the Ministry of Justice’s constitutional responsibility vis-à-vis the Island.

These engagements form part of a schedule of regular engagements with UK parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, putting Jersey representatives in a stronger position to ensure that the Island’s interests are recognised and addressed by all parties in Westminster, whether in government or opposition.

Above: Minister for External Relations meeting with Lord Beith and Lord McNally.