A BACKLASH against the Foot Review began yesterday as leading campaigners for Guernsey’s independence issued a hands-off warning to the UK.
Chancellor Alistair Darling commissioned Michael Foot (pictured) to conduct an independent review of British offshore financial centres.
The report included the suggestion that there was a ‘compelling case’ for jurisdictions that did not have VAT or a goods and services tax to consider introducing the system.
To some this has overstepped the boundary of the UK’s responsibility for the island.
Policy Council External Relations Group member Dave Jones agreed with Chief Minister Lyndon Trott that Guernsey had come out well in the report. But he said that this reaction was somewhat missing the point.
‘I don’t care what they think of the way our democratically elected parliament runs our island’s economy,’ he said.
‘In fact, I would ask where the UK gained the right to review us in the first place: our allegiance is to the Crown, not the Labour Government.
We were not consulted in any meaningful way once again.
‘Sure, we were sent the terms of reference for the review a week or so before it commenced but that is not consultation, that is a bit like two wolves discussing with a sheep what’s for lunch.
‘We were just told it was going to happen and that was that.’
He said the arrogance of the Labour Government was breathtaking considering that Guernsey’s internal tax affairs were a matter for its parliament, not theirs.
‘That right has been ours for over 800 years and has been respected by every UK administration for centuries up until that is this Labour Government came to power,’ he said.
‘In section four of the report they have assumed the right to advise us about whether or not we should have some sort of sales tax in Guernsey, again a matter that is none of their business.
‘They have also commented on the fact that we have an absence of other taxes. Well, yes, we do, and again I ask what business is it of Gordon Brown or anyone else for that matter.’
Advocate Roger Perrot led a public meeting which overwhelmingly endorsed Guernsey beginning discussions on more autonomy from the UK.
He agreed with Deputy Jones’s stance that it was not for the UK or its nominees to boss Guernsey around.
‘The imposition of the Foot report was an act of funk by a beleaguered and incompetent Labour chancellor, anxious to do anything to deflect the flak,’ said Advocate Perrot.’
He said the apology over the Edwards inquiry – which had been forced on Guernsey with no consultation – had been forgotten.
‘Instead, and yet again, a Labour Government abused its dominant position. It is not for another jurisdiction to tell us what taxes to set or at what rates. There is no historical precedent for the UK to do that, quite the reverse, and there is no requirement whatsoever for us to harmonise with the European Union.’
The Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for Guernsey’s relationship with the UK, declined to comment.
HM Treasury had not responded at the time of going to print.
Article posted on 31st October, 2009 - 2.30pm
20 Article Comments
Here here those UK politicians have been exposed for what they are with their Expenses Scandal.
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What breath taking arrogance!
Just pray that this motley crew are kicked out next May for all our sakes.
Trying to negotiate with this Labour goverment is clearly a waste of time.
The best thing to do is to feign appeasement and humour them until Cameron and his cavalry arrive next year, to liberate us from this obnoxious socialist rabble.
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Oh Dear.
Just everybody pray that the Tories get in next May !!
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now is the time to declare war on the UK, we begin bombing London in the morning next its Poland…..
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Where have they gone?
Those proudest of dreamers
Their woods all silenced
And the bright halls stand free.
http://www.tsrocks.com/f/fire_and_ice_texts/were_have_they_gone.html
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Dave Jones is absolutely right. I think the Chief minister should write to the Prime Minister telling him bluntly that out taxes have nothing to do with Westminster. They have no more right to impose their wishes on us than we do on them as regards taxation. This is the thin end of the wedge, if we don’t take firm action now the bullies will roll all over us.
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Theo
Can we really be sure that the Tories would act any different? Europe has divided the party for years and they are still flip-flopping over the Lisbon Treaty.
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Paul Le P
I can quite understand your mistrust; however one must think
Is change better than a rest?
Would they be better, or is it possible they could be worse.
And of course that very old one:
Between the devil and the deep blue sea.
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Eric – Personally I prefer the Tories to Labour and, although there are policies I disagree with, I would probably vote Coservative were I a UK resident. I’m not a UK resident though, I’m a Guernsey resident.
This brings me to the question – how would a Tory Government treat the islands? The simple answer I suppose is we can’t be sure how any UK government will act, whether Tory or Labour.
One thing we can be sure of though is that any UK government will have the UK’s interests at heart, not Guernsey’s, and will act accordingly. If Guernsey’s best interests are seen by the British Government to oppose the UK’s there seems little doubt in whose interests they will act.
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They can annex us whenever they like and there is nothing we can do about ckeck out the Turks and Caicos Islands.
If we discovered oil a regiment of UK Marines would be dispatched immediately!
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Paul Le P
You have a point,nothing is certain, but historically the Conservatives have always supported the Crown Dependencies. One of Their main principles is to encourage enterprise and business,and to keep government interferance and taxation to a minimum, to allow the creation of wealth.
They acknowledge the contribution that the offshore finance industry makes to these principles.
The current Labour goverment however, in its (hopefully) dying days is trying to undermine and destroy our financial services industry, with the aid of the EU, as it is against their socialist ideals for people and organisations to have independent control over their own money.
They wish to have access to the wealth created by others in order to finance their own social agenda.
They see the current financial mess that the UK and the world is in ( not forgetting Mr Browns contribution to the situation), as a great opportunity to find a scapegoat and rid themselves of an irritant at the same time.
I might be wrong about the Tories… I hope not…time will tell.
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Andy – the Turks & Caicos are not really a fair comparison. Our constitutional relationship with the UK is different and our government is no where near as defective and corrupt (as much as we like bashing our States).
But I agree with the above – a review of our interrelation with and contribution to the UK is welcomed, just as any scrutiny should be welcomed. But suggestions as to what taxes to impose on our residents and visitors do not sit easily with that.
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Paul LeP
Oh of course by all means; I’ve never been a lover of Labour; they twist and turn which makes them twisted like a cork screw.
They writhe and try to be important, I’ve a little nephew who could better than they do.
They are what I would declare CLUELESS
And to be honest having watched that film or whatever it was about the time of the monarchy at the death of Dianna; I’m afraid my thoughts about UK monarchy took a very deep plunge, So many in that play showed their true colours, they are on another level, nothing to do with humans at all.
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Theo MIGHT
“… be wrong about the Tories… I hope not…time will tell.”
You will be wrong. Cameron is mucking about with the EU. He’s got a few months to get the on the correct side of the winners’ enclosure. For too long the Uk’s stance in Europe has brought derision on successive governments. Cameron is in bed with anti semitic homophobes who like nothing more than dressing up like the Waffen SS, and be proud of it. With flags and songs and stuff.
Not sure about the last you may have looked at Europe, but that’s not the kind of thing they want to embrace, in majority.
So if he shakes up more Nationalistic support (I notice the BNP are close/have already formed a fascist alliance with the usual euro-nazis – how long before giving them a call to help is needed as a necessity to stave off some awfully unBritish acknowledgement of workers’ rights etc), then he’ll lose the lot of them. If they become pariah….
New Labour were no friends of Europe. Esp. not Blair, and they have proven through more than a decade of continuating Thatcher’s Folly that they were committed to hiding our purpose from the big boys.
I mean, how convenient they suddenly ‘found’ an error in the VAT CPA with IoM?
“Who, me?”
Shonky.
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Oh dear what short memories people have when it comes to politics. Remember it was a Tory Prime Minister, Margret Thatcher who told the Channel Islands that they had to pay a defence contribution. The Tories will do whatever they see is in their interest wether it’s in Guernesy’s interest or not, just like any other UK party will do.
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Political independence from the UK must be exposed as a self serving fantasy scheme to protect the interest of the Finance industry from regulation. It is not designed to benefit ordinary islanders.
Major European states can no longer afford to have their tax base undermined by the tax havens. It was inevitable that the policy of 0/10 would be found to be unacceptable and unfair tax competition. The Isle of Man led that policy and now the UK have retaliated by removing the VAT subsidy, exposing how reckless it was in the first place.
The elites of Europe hide their wealth in secrecy jurisdictions, forcing governments to increase taxes on the middle and working classes. Now Banks have been bailed out by states after their reckless speculative financial follies and the coffers must be replenished. The only solution will be increased taxation, but that means seeking out the hidden fortunes of their wealthy, currently secreted offshore.
Islanders will see that the price of hosting Finance is increasing budget deficits and increased taxes on working people. In Jersey, the government has introduced a goods and services tax of 3% as a consumption tax, rather than raise taxes on the wealthy or on corporations.
Realistically, the Channel Islands could not exist without the UK. Their governments will simply not admit the extent to which they have been subsidised, for example in Defence and in Health. Note the recent withdrawal of the reciprocal health agreement. Islanders have nothing to gain from losing 800 years of connection with Britain. The British connection will remain.
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A fine speech from Harrison Ford.
True though isn’t it? This gull understands.
This half century ending 2020 will go down as Bad History for Guernsey, sealife and human.
The tax dodging antics are reviled in civilised colonies.
Stool Pigeon Trott says nothing but SELL SELL SELL the island to the Chinese,
Dear Sirs, please fiddle the future prosperity of your great nation by opening a secret account in our 13th best secret hideaway. What we offer that the other 12 more secret places don’t, is the 13th least efficient secrecy network! That’s an ethics windfall! For instance HSBC adverts tell us you go right wonky for the number 8.
Well, by putting the number 8 in Guernsey, after we have sophisticated through our well regulated lawyers, our expert accountants and those managers that KNOW EVERYTHING about the world, we will have turned your lucky number 8 into our lucky number 13.
That’s a win win win 700% return on luck alone. By then securitising this luck and combining it with chutzpah, EU non compliancy bonds, Suez bottom ash futures, and good ol fashioned sewage denominated cash we guarantee:
3. King John’s private parts in a wooden box
4. Arnald
5. Feudalism
I think we all know what the right answer is to this question
Deal or No Deal.
Actually the Deal’s off, I’ll have Eider.
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The Conservatives will be marginally better but its still the same types who enter politics.
In terms of independence to make it work I think all the Islands may have to link up but I keep repeating the decision is the UKs not ours. Even if everyone in Guernsey wanted out we cant legally do so without Browns say so and I doubt his EU masters will agree to it.
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be prepared. a conservative government will be very good for the well off population of guernsey, but a kick in the teeth for the rest
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Bella
Surely, if the well off do well so does everybody else – they spend their money so the rest of us can sell them goods and services?
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