Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK has welcomed a letter from the UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirming that the Isle of Man’s interests will be respected during the Brexit process.
Mrs May commits to ‘engaging with you as we enter negotiations, strengthening the bonds between us as we forge a new relationship with the EU and with the wider world.'
The letter notes the Chief Minister’s positive remarks, made to the House of Lords EU Select Committee, on the UK Government’s close engagement with the Crown Dependencies so far.
Mr Quayle has also welcomed the Lords Committee’s report on the implications of Brexit for the Crown Dependencies, which was published this week.
The report calls on the UK Government to ensure that the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey are fully involved in the Brexit negotiations, stating that the UK has a constitutional responsibility to represent the Crown Dependencies in international matters.
The Chief Minister commented:
‘It has been a week of double reassurance for the Isle of Man in terms of the Brexit negotiations. First we had the report from the House of Lords Committee supporting the full involvement of the Isle of Man in the process, followed by the letter from the Prime Minister clearly confirming that this is what will happen.’
‘These are very encouraging messages for the Island and they show the value of all the hard work that has gone in to building relationships and awareness around our position on Brexit.’
Mr Quayle continued:
‘The House of Lords EU Committee report is most helpful. We provided written and oral evidence to the Committee, and I am glad to see that they have picked up on our concerns, and represented them in the report.
‘We have also met with the House of Commons Justice Committee, and have met with Government Ministers and senior officials on many occasions now, as the UK works up its negotiating position ahead of the talks with the EU.'
The Prime Minister is due to make her formal submission to the Council of the European Union next week, which will mark the beginning of the formal period of negotiations for the UK to leave the EU.
The Chief Minister commented:
‘Although we are expecting Article 50 to be triggered next week, we are unlikely to see any immediate change. The Member States are going to have to decide upon their negotiating position, and mandate the European Commission, who will be conducting the negotiations. What will be really important is whether the negotiations on the potential new relationship will be running alongside the talks on withdrawal.'
‘We are making our own preparations for the withdrawal, and also to ensure we are prepared for the new trading relationship with other countries through the World Trade Organisation. Preparations for the UK’s negotiations with the EU and the potential opportunities which may come to us are also being progressed, and we will give another comprehensive update on our work in the next couple of weeks.’
The Council of Ministers fourth interim report on Brexit is due to be issued shortly after the triggering of Article 50. It will provide an update on recent developments, and give an overview of the work being undertaken by Isle of Man Government in preparation for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
The report of the House of Lords EU Committee on Brexit and the Crown Dependencies is available online.
The full text of the Prime Minister’s letter to the Chief Minister is as follows:
In advance of triggering Article 50, I wanted to write to you to update you on the Government's plans for engagement with the Crown Dependencies during the UK's forthcoming negotiations with the European Union (EU). I have written in similar terms to your counterparts in Jersey and Guernsey.
I was pleased to note, in your evidence to the House of Lords EU Select Committee, your positive remarks on the United Kingdom Government's engagement with the Governments of the Crown Dependencies since the Referendum, in particular your engagement with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Robin Walker. As I set out in my letter of 26 July, it is right that the Crown Dependencies are kept informed as we prepare to leave the EU, and that they are offered the opportunity to contribute where it is relevant and appropriate to do so.
The constitutional relationship between the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies is a valued, historical and special one, and I want to take this opportunity to assure you that the Referendum result does not change this relationship.
I would also like to assure you that throughout the process of leaving the European Union we will ensure that our actions are compatible with this constitutional relationship.
Our White Paper, published on 2 February, confirms the commitment that our governments share to maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA). These arrangements long pre-date the UK's accession to the EU and we want to ensure that they are preserved. As the White Paper makes clear, we will work with the Crown Dependencies, alongside the Northern Ireland Executive and Irish Government, to deliver a practical solution that allows for the maintenance of the CTA, while protecting the integrity of the UK's immigration system.
The White Paper also confirms our continued commitment to respecting the interests of the Crown Dependencies, and engaging with you as we enter negotiations, strengthening the bonds between us as we forge a new relationship with the EU and with the wider world.
I look forward to building on the positive working relationships between the Crown Dependencies and the UK as we move into the next phase of this process, including discussions on customs and trade, immigration, agriculture and fisheries, financial services, and a range of other issues. We remain committed to engaging with the Isle of Man as we prepare to exit the EU, to ensure that your interests are properly taken into account.
