The surprise ousting of David Lammy as British foreign secretary on Friday has added to the uncertainty over when London will deliver its delayed final decision on the Commission of Inquiry reforms here in the Virgin Islands.
A major government shakeup in the United Kingdom saw Mr. Lammy, who is a dual citizen of the UK and Guyana, moved from the key position and replaced by former home secretary Yvette Cooper.
Amid the upheaval, Overseas Territories Minister Stephen Doughty remained in place at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where he wields influence regarding London’s position on the VI.
COI verdict
After Governor Daniel Pruce delivered his final COI report in early May, he said Mr. Doughty would consider it along with other information before discussing the situation with Mr. Lammy ahead of the much-anticipated UK decision on the matter.
Their progress since then is unclear. London was expected to make its COI announcement in June, but that didn’t happen — and UK officials have stayed tight-lipped.
Threat of direct rule
The British assessment is expected to include a decision on whether to lift the controversial order in council that allows London to implement direct rule here if the VI government doesn’t complete the COI reforms as promised.
Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley — who claimed in May that his government had completed its COI obligations — has strongly opposed the direct-rule threat and decried it as “colonialism.”
This week, Mr. Wheatley did not respond to a request for comment on the UK leadership reshuffle, but Financial Services and Economic Development Junior Minister Lorna Smith said the government will work to forge strong UK-VI relations no matter who is in power in London.
“This government always aims to maintain a positive and consistent relationship with the UK government, whoever the foreign secretary is, and we look forward to engaging with the new foreign secretary and her team,” she told the Beacon.
Ms. Smith, however, would not be drawn on whether she believes the leadership shuffle will further delay the UK’s COI decision.
Coming ‘soon’
When pressed on the matter late last month, Mr. Pruce downplayed concerns about the long wait, saying the decision would be delivered “soon.”
He also alluded to the quantity of information the foreign office is reviewing, which includes his report as well as a self-assessment by the VI government, the findings of a public consultation in which more than 600 people participated, and a report by British officials who visited the territory.
“To the extent that I understand it, that process in the United Kingdom of that body of information — which is quite extensive; there’s lots of it — is moving ahead,” the governor said during an Aug. 26 press conference.
In his final COI report in May, Mr. Pruce stated that he did not see the need for the governor to be given extra powers. He added at the time that almost all the COI reforms had been completed, and he acknowledged that some of the remaining five were under his remit.
The outstanding reforms, he said, included measures to pave the way for the option of judge-only trials; a full overhaul of public assistance; vetting of police, customs, prison and immigration officers; changes to immigration procedures; and an update of criminal procedure rules.
Leadership reshuffle
The UK cabinet reshuffle was triggered by the resignation of Angela Rayner as housing secretary and deputy prime minister after she became embroiled in a tax controversy.
Ms. Cooper’s appointment has been widely interpreted in Britain as being due to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s desire for a fresh approach to migration challenges as up to 1,000 people a day have been crossing the English Channel in small boats in order to claim asylum in the UK.
Mr. Lammy was moved to the post of justice secretary, and he was also made deputy prime minister — a largely symbolic role.
Mr. Pruce declined to comment, and the FCDO did not respond to a request for comment.
