MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Busy start for Falklands' stand at Manchester Conservative conference

Members of the delegation at the Falklands' stand CPC 21 with MP Liz Truss, the newly appointed Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Secretary

A delegation from the Falkland Islands is now installed in Manchester City attending the Conservative Party Conference21, which took off on Sunday 3 October and will extend until Wednesday 6 October.

A Falklands stand, headed by MLA Stacey Bragger and FI London Office's representative Richard Hyslop with staff support plus Rex the Rockhopper received the visit of secretaries, ministers of state, members of parliament and delegates, who stopped to express their support for the Islands and talk about climate change, the 40th anniversary of the war, fisheries, the 2021/2040 environment strategy and CPC 21 affairs.

The long list of visitors included the newly appointed Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs Secretary Liz Truss; an old friend of the Falklands, UK Overseas Territories minister Wendy Morton; Parliamentary vice chairman of the All Parties Parliamentary Group, MP Mark Logan who expressed special interest on the 40th anniversary of the war, since as an Army officer he did two tours of duty in the Islands.

Other visitors who stopped at the stand, Kevin Foster, Home Office minister, MP for Torbay; Kevin visited the Falklands in 2017 as part of the British Armed Forces Parliamentary scheme hosted by the British Forces South Atlantic Islands. Another strong defender of the Islands who spent time at the stand was Falklands APPG Secretary Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford; Parliamentary Falklands APPG Vice-chairman MP James Sunderland, also looking forward to the 40th anniversary of the war in 2022. He did two duty tours in the Islands as an Army officer. MP John Carlisle, Marcos Longui, MP for Dudley North, also met with the Falklands delegation at the stand and MP Rob Butler discussed sustainable fishing, the economy and the strategic significance of the Islands. The MP for Aylesbury emphasized his continued support of the Falkland Islanders self determination ahead of the war anniversary. Likewise Sir David Evennett MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford.

The Falklands stand also did presentations on Looking Forward at 40, the Islands Environment Strategy 2021/2040, the development of the economy and its stunning environment. This was followed by an open invitation for a firsthand talk on the Islands' culture, aspirations, strategies and experiences. Sketches on these issues were exposed during the presentations.