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Minister Hugo Swire: “The Commonwealth is no relic of the past”

Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 07:04 UTC
Full article 9 comments

Minister of State Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP blogs on the importance of the Commonwealth following his visit to New Zealand and Canada.Sometimes the Commonwealth is seen as a relic of the past. I argue passionately that it is nothing of the sort. The test is always the same – would we invent the Commonwealth today? The answer is that we would. It is an important organisation for the present and the future. Read full article

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  • Klingon

    Please, the Union jack is only good for wiping your ass.
    Why is NZ changing it's flag then.

    Mar 16th, 2016 - 12:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Briton

    The Commonwealth is
    THE FUTURE,
    if we vote leave and get our finger out,
    we can make it and us great again,

    unless we choose to Klingon to the past European union.

    Why is NZ changing it's flag then

    its not certain, but it is their choice.

    Please, the Union jack is only good for wiping your ass.

    totally agree, depending on your point of view,
    losers always try to insult the winners victory,

    and you argies are no better,
    insult the flag but lose the war,
    very clever..

    Mar 16th, 2016 - 01:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • James Marshall

    Perhaps because their flag is often mistaken for the Australian flag. It is their country, they can choose whatever flag they like. It's called Self determination through democracy. You should try it in Argentina sometime, it works for your neighbours, the Falklands.

    The UK is an old set of countries,I doubt very much they are precious about a sovereign nation choosing to change their flag, what has it got to do with the UK. With age comes wisdom and confidence, you can mock, ridicule and taunt as much as you like, they just don't care, they know who they are and are happy with that.

    'Please, the Union jack is only good for wiping your ass'...any flag is good for wiping your arse (an ass 'Equus africanus asinus' is something different) when your country is running out of toilet paper, just ask the Venezuelans.

    Mar 16th, 2016 - 02:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • gordo1

    @ 1 Klingon

    Yeah, Klingon, in 1982 the Union Jack really and truly wiped Argentina's arse - as a figure of speech, of course!

    ¡Boludo de mierda!

    Mar 16th, 2016 - 03:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Briton

    “an unnecessary provocation”

    Now Germans DEMAND we leave the EU: 'We've never even liked the British'

    THE German TV show which mocked The Queen for being 'horse-faced' has sparked fresh outrage by DEMANDING Britain leave the EU.
    The shocking video, which has gone viral, then sees them rejoice at Britain’s proposed Brexit and dub the UK the “Planet of the Island Apes” - much to the roaring delight of the baying studio audience
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/653145/Germans-DEMAND-Britain-leave-EU-haute-show-more-sausage
    ////
    The video, which is nine months old, has just resurfaced after another clip this week attacking Britain caused controversy by calling the Queen the “ancient grandma from the dynasty of the horse faced”.

    Fury as Germans mock Britain for Brexit and EU vote while blasting our 'horse-faced Queen'

    GERMANY has provoked fury after a pair of TV presenters mocked British culture in a bizarre rant and said Britain offers nothing to Europe
    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/653145/Germans-DEMAND-Britain-leave-EU-haute-show-more-sausage

    does one really want to stay in with this lot.

    Mar 16th, 2016 - 07:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Skip

    There is ni guarantee NZ will change its flag. Not that that has anything to do with the Commonwealth. On current trends the flag will remain unchanged..... we'll know in 2 weeks.

    As for the Commonwealth. I see it as very useful. Not every single organisation has to be about hard power and economic might. However I do think the Commonwealth Realms should look at closer integration. I think that free movement of people between countries such as Canada, Australia, NZ and the UK would have few drawbacks.

    Mar 16th, 2016 - 08:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Clyde15

    #6
    I agree with you. It irks me to see Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders, whom I regard as kin, treated as foreigners at immigration while other EU nationalities wander through unimpeded.

    Mar 17th, 2016 - 08:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Briton

    ,Agreed,
    We should never have abandoned the commonwealth for a corrupt EU,

    It has weakened us, and almost bankrupted us,
    Still,
    We sometimes learn from mistakes.
    Let’s see if we learn from this one.

    Mar 17th, 2016 - 08:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Skip

    Klingon

    “Please, the Union jack is only good for wiping your ass.
    Why is NZ changing it's flag then.”

    Care to update that comment?

    Mar 24th, 2016 - 11:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0

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