Chief Minister Tony Brown MHK and Treasury Minister Allan Bell MHK met Conservative leader David Cameron and key members of the Shadow Cabinet when they attended the party’s Spring Forum last weekend (27th-28th February 2010).
Their presence at the event in Brighton was part of the Isle of Man Government’s ongoing programme to promote awareness and understanding of the Island within the United Kingdom’s political parties.
As well as brief meetings with Mr Cameron and Shadow Business Secretary Kenneth Clarke, the Manx delegation held informal discussions with Shadow Justice Secretary Dominic Grieve and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude.
The Chief Minister said, "This was an excellent opportunity to brief some of the UK’s leading politicians on the Isle of Man’s constitutional position as a Crown Dependency and how the Island’s role as an international business centre supports the British economy.
"We also told them of our concerns over such issues as the change in the VAT sharing arrangements and the ending of the Reciprocal Health Agreement.
"This was probably the last major gathering of the Conservative party prior to this year’s general election.
"It provided us with a valuable insight into the party’s policies and a sense of the implications for the Isle of Man, should they be successful and form the next UK Government."
