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Sir Lindsay Hoyle: “Why I became a champion and advocate for the British Overseas Territories”

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons

By Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons

From the Pitcairn Islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean to the British Indian Ocean Territory almost 10,000 miles away, the British Overseas Territories (OTs) all have one thing in common – they are British.

Yet, from my perspective, after 26 years as an MP in the UK, and the last three years as Speaker, there have been times when I have thought: You would never know it.

People talk about the Commonwealth, but in my view, the OTs have been the ‘poor relation.’ Despite Parliament passing laws and making decisions that affect the lives of our fellow UK passport holders across the OTs, they have – until recently – had no representation.

So, when I was elected Speaker in 2019, I made it a mission of mine to extend a welcoming hand to the 16 OTs. At every opportunity, be it meetings with UK Ministers, or through high profile events, I have raised their plight, invited their representatives into Parliament, and devised ways to bring them into the fold.

History was made in July 2021 when we hosted an inaugural virtual meeting of 10 of the OTs that have Speakers or Presiding Officers, with our gathering crossing six time zones.

In 2022 we held our first Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference in London, and our most recent event was hosted by Anguilla in April this year.

Not only were the discussions insightful and helpful, but they also brought a sense of community among us, with topics ranging from security and climate change to separation of powers in the OTs. Despite the differences in the size of our nations, we discovered that many of our concerns and issues are similar, if not the same.

I am pleased to say that our efforts to turn the spotlight on to the OTs are finally gaining traction. Only recently Alicia Kearns, chair of the UK Foreign Affairs Committee, agreed to establish a permanent sub-committee on the OTs – giving their democratically elected governments a direct link to Westminster.

The plan is for the committee to meet every two months to hear the voices of the OTs on issues of concern in security, health, education, and the environment, with members of relevant select committees invited to contribute to the debate.

This will enable OTs to scrutinize how the UK Government is discharging its responsibilities in relation to their governance. At the same time, the Procedure Committee has agreed to launch an inquiry into options for OT representation in committee proceedings more generally.

And we have established an office in the heart of the Palace of Westminster for members of the UK Overseas Territories Association to meet, have access and representation here - just like their counterparts in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Inter Parliamentary Union.

In the meantime, my office continues to find ways to make incoming representatives of the OTs feel more welcome, with the flying of flags when they visit the House of Commons, and on each of their national days.

Our annual Garden of Remembrance not only commemorates those who perished in war from the UK’s 650 constituencies, but also those from the British Overseas Territories and the Nations of the Commonwealth.

Young people from the OTs have also had the chance to speak out in the House of Commons on the issues that matter to them, after we invited them to join the annual sitting of the UK Youth Parliament – a successful initiative we plan to continue.

As well as hosting an OT exhibition and conference, and numerous receptions, we have ensured the British Overseas Territories have had their place in UK Parliamentary democracy immortalized.

A stained-glass window featuring the heraldic shields of all 16 OTs and three Crown Dependencies has been embedded in Speaker’s House – providing a permanent and tangible reminder of the strong and close links between the UK and its wider family.

So, while I remain Speaker, please be assured of my commitment to the OTs. They are important to me – they are part of our United Kingdom family - and I want to provide them with a platform on which to speak, to air their concerns, to share experiences and to enable us to learn from each other.

For as long as I can, I will be their champion, their advocate, and their friend.

 

(UK Overseas Territories Newsletter)