Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

UK All-Party Parliamentary Group ‘hugely’ important

UK All-Party Parliamentary Group ‘hugely’ important

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley described a recently re-established All-Party Parliamentary Group in the United Kingdom (UK) as being hugely important for representing the BVI’s interests to the UK.
The Premier recently announced the group’s re-establishment while speaking in the House of Assembly (HOA), praising the hard work and effort of the BVI’s International Affairs team and the BVI London office in particular in the process.

At the time, Premier Wheatley said the BVI All Party Parliamentary Group is made up of parliamentarians within the UK Parliament who will be a voice for the BVI within the House of Commons and House of Lords. The group is expected to be chaired by James Sunderland, MP, with whom the Premier held a meeting during his current trip to the UK.

Dr Wheatley argued that even though Sunderland might be a new MP, he appeared to be well connected and likely able to influence others to join the BVI’s cause.

While speaking with a group of persons from the BVI diaspora during a recent engagement in the UK, Dr Wheatley said the more persons the BVI has that can adopt positions that favour the territory’s interests, the more powerful the territory can become in influencing UK government policy towards the BVI.

“You could have whatever diplomat in the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), if they develop for whatever reason, a slanted view of the BVI, then your whole existence can hinge on that relationship,” the Premier stated.

Dr Wheatley suggested that there are instances where “you really don’t get an objective, unbiased view” being presented by the FCDO, and this presents a challenge.

“I think it’s a hugely important group. The key for me is, ‘how can we get a significant amount of parliamentarians to join the cause?’, and then to isolate any destructive views that may come out from the FCDO,” Premier Wheatley said.

He noted that the All-Party Parliamentary Group allows for a broader relationship and allows other British parliamentarians to be able to speak up in the interest of the BVI and share the territory’s perspective.

The group will also be able to defend the BVI, the Premier suggested, as well as present an alternate view to the FCDO’s perspective and offer some degree of influence in the UK parliament.

While in the UK, Premier Wheatley will also be engaged in a discussion on future cooperation with Lord Mayor of Birmingham City Council, Ms Maureen Cornish and will also have a financial services briefing with Weber Shandwick, a marketing and communications firm in the UK.

Premier Wheatley previously said that the Government of National Unity will continue to be engaged internationally and work in the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Arsenal Stages Comeback to Draw 2-2 Against Liverpool in Premier League Clash
Trump's Upcoming Visit to Gulf Nations: Investment and Security at the Forefront
Rodrigo Duterte Awaits Trial at The Hague. Next week he might be elected mayor of his hometown
Trump fires director of U.S. Copyright Office, sources say
Retired British police officer arrested over ‘thought crime’ tweet
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
×