The Isle of Man Government has welcomed a UK parliamentary report suggesting closer links between the Crown Dependencies and the Commonwealth.

The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee considered an enhanced role for the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories as part of its inquiry into the future of the Commonwealth.

The Committee’s report concludes that  ‘there are substantial arguments in favour of stronger connections between the Commonwealth and the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, all of which can benefit from closer relationships, especially with the smaller independent states of the Commonwealth’.

The Committee acknowledged, however, that there might be constitutional obstacles to the creation of a new category of membership, and asked the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to update the Committee on any progress made in relation to this issue in December of this year. 

The Isle of Man is not a full member of the Commonwealth – and it cannot be one, as the Commonwealth’s Charter allows for membership only of sovereign states – but the United Kingdom’s membership is taken to include the Isle of Man and other Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. 

The FCO, in its submission to the Committee, undertook to raise the possibility of observer status to the Commonwealth for Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, with the current Chair (Australia) and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK commented: ‘The Isle of Man is already an active supporter of Commonwealth initiatives such as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Commonwealth Youth Games. A closer connection with the Commonwealth itself would be a welcome further development of the Island’s international relationships, and we will monitor the progress of this issue with considerable interest.’