Mossack Fonesca is the gift that keeps giving!
Jeremy Corbyn today suggests that the United Kingdom should impose direct rule over the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies including Mann (see link):
https://www.theguardian.com/…/uk-could-impose-direct-rule-on…
Given that Corbyn and his Labour Party are not in power it seems like an empty threat but the very fact that a UK government might choose to exercise ‘direct rule’ over areas that are not part of the United Kingdom should give the Manx government and people pause for thought.
When I became a nationalist as a founder member of Mec Vannin in the early 1960s the Island was virtually a colonial territory and we felt the fight was against colonialism. There were even those who thought that the Lt Governor as a symbol of colonialism should be removed – and I don’t mean in a pleasant way!
However as the 1960s evolved the dynamic changed considerable fiscal autonomy and the relinquishing of powers vested in the Crown (via the Lt Governor) meant that the main focus of nationalist ire for over forty years has been the Manx puppet administration.
However suppose the machinations in a far off country of which we knew little i.e. Panama do continue to reverberate and Corbyn crusade to extend direct rule becomes more credible who enforces it?
Does our own Tynwald always fond of going on somewhat fatuously about its centuries of history become the Vichy regime? Does the Lt Governor once again become all powerful or will there be a sort of ‘Reinhard Heydrich figure’ appointed by London.
Will ‘Gary Roberts and the crew’ up in the Lubyanka become the British Colonial Police owing allegiance to London and not the controlled via the government and DHA?
Will nationalists turn nasty again? Interesting times indeed!
Image: Start sharpening the pikes Jeremy is on the warpath and wants to colonise us!
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Mannin Branch Celtic League
05/04/16
THE CELTIC LEAGUE
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries including our own Mannin branch. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
The link for the main web pages is below: