MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands: new Legislative Assembly consolidates close ties with the United Kingdom

MLA Jack Ford during his reception by the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP.

On the occasion of the swearing-in of the newly elected members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly, its Chair, MLA Jack Ford, travelled to the United Kingdom, where he held a series of meetings with government and opposition lawmakers, as well as senior officials from various ministries and offices linked to the Islands and other British Overseas Territories.

The visit, with a full agenda and supported by the Falkland Islands Government Office in London (FIGO), was effectively the first overseas trip by the new self-governing Falklands administration, aimed at reinforcing the close ties with the United Kingdom and the firm support across the British political spectrum for the self-determination of the Falklands people.

MLA Jack Ford—one of only two of the eight legislators who secured re-election by a clear margin—began the round of meetings with the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, Conservative MP James Cartlidge, and the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Dame Priti Patel MP.

During the meetings, the shadow secretaries and the Falklands legislator discussed the strategic importance of the Islands, as well as issues related to energy and finance.

MLA Jack Ford later met with the Shadow Minister for the Falklands and the Overseas Territories, Wendy Morton MP, who is expected to visit the Falklands later this month.

A key meeting was held with the Foreign Office Minister for the Overseas Territories and the Falkland Islands, Stephen Doughty MP, who reiterated the strong commitment of the United Kingdom and the Labour Party to the Islanders’ right to self-determination.

Bringing the political meetings to a close, MLA Jack Ford was received and hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, a long-standing pillar of support for the Falkland Islands, for which the Islanders have always been deeply grateful.

“We had a very productive conversation on key issues such as defence and security, and I reiterated to my colleague our very clear position that we will always stand in support of the Falkland Islands,” Speaker Hoyle said.

As a corollary to the wide-ranging agenda—which also included meetings with senior officials from various British government departments—the visit, according to comments from the Falklands’ self-governing administration, served to further reinforce the close ties and shared interests between the United Kingdom and the Falklands.