Lord Chancellor Jack Straw is in no position to lecture the Bailiwick over democracy, according to two Vale deputies. Graham Guille and Dave Jones yesterday said it was ironic that Mr Straw, below, had told Sark it must elect a democratic government when neither he nor any member of the Privy Council had been elected by the people of the Bailiwick.
Deputies Guille and Jones criticised the UK’s attitude to the Bailiwick and Deputy Jones said the Privy Council, which must approve all new Guernsey and Sark laws, was now merely a Government department.
‘The idea that the Privy Council is the Queen in Council is fallacy,’ he said.
‘Our allegiance is to the Crown but ‘the Crown’ has been absorbed into a Government department.’
Sark Seigneur Michael Beaumont told Chief Pleas this week that Mr Straw had made it clear in a meeting earlier this month that he was not inclined to recommend royal assent for the transitional ‘mixed house’ proposed in the draft legislation, which would have meant some Chief Pleas seats being retained for land-owning tenants before moving to full democracy after a referendum.
‘I think there is some irony attached to Jack Straw trying to dictate what other jurisdictions do,’ Deputy Jones added.
‘I believe the British Government would be much better sorting out their own second chamber, where allegedly you can buy a peerage if you have enough money and influence, rather than meddling in other people’s affairs.’
Deputy Guille said the level of influence the UK had over Guernsey was increasing and was a concern.
‘It’s a bit rich for Jack Straw to be lecturing us on democracy when no one here has any say on his election or removal from office,’ he said.
‘How democratic is that? We are clearly in a position where UK ministers are making decisions on our behalf yet we have no power to remove them or elect them.
‘Yet they have the temerity to lecture us about democracy.’
Deputy Guille said the Government had completely misunderstood the relationship between the Bailiwick and the UK.
‘Our relationship is with the Crown, not with whoever is in Whitehall at any given time,’ he said.
‘I think this is the biggest issue that we have to confront. We cannot just sit still and see our independence eroded.
‘I’m not saying we should declare war on anyone, but I think there is precious little respect for us coming out of Whitehall at the moment.’
Article posted on 18th January, 2008 - 12.00am
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