THE owners of Brecqhou took their campaign to root out ‘relics of feudalism’ in Sark to London’s High Court yesterday.

Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay argued that proposed changes to the island’s constitution – approved by the Queen last month – do not go far enough and amount to a violation of human rights. They also object strongly to the continued role in government of Seigneur Michael Beaumont and the Seneschal, Lt-Colonel Reg Guille.

And they say it flies in the face of European and human rights laws that ‘aliens’ will still not be able to stand for election to Chief Pleas. Their barrister, David Pannick QC, told Mr Justice Wyn Williams that the UK Government is ‘answerable to Strasbourg for violations of the European convention that take place within Sark and is obliged to ensure that the Sark authorities respect the rights guaranteed by the European Convention’.

The brothers are challenging the Privy Council’s decision to recommend to the Queen that she should approve the constitutional reforms, which were adopted by an order in council on 9 April. They are joined in their challenge by Sark resident Thomas Slivnic, who, even after the reforms, will be prevented from standing for election to Chief Pleas as he is a Slovenian national and viewed as an ‘alien’.