Commonwealth Day 2021

Alyn Smith, the SNP's foreign affairs lead at Westminster, expressed support for Scotland joining the Commonwealth as a sovereign equal but emphasised that EU membership would remain central to Scotland's foreign and trade policies. He also highlighted the importance of upholding the standards set out in the Commonwealth charter on justice, democracy, human rights, tolerance, and women's rights and called for greater progress towards these aims within the Commonwealth.

Andrew Selous discussed opportunities in South Africa, noting its 17% share of the world's population with only 3% GDP. He highlighted trade between the UK and South Africa worth £8 billion annually and potential for significant growth post-pandemic. Selous also mentioned infrastructure investments and renewable energy partnerships as major commercial opportunities.

She expressed concern about Britain's legacy in a post-covid and post-Brexit world, criticising the hostile environment policy towards immigrants and missed opportunities for close trading ties with Commonwealth nations like India. She also highlighted the closing of an LGBTQ+ centre in Ghana due to homophobia and discrimination by Government, religious institutions, and media across some Commonwealth countries.

Paid tribute to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and highlighted historical ties with countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Emphasised the importance of rebuilding relationships with these nations post-Brexit, noting that the United Kingdom should strengthen its links in areas such as trade, security, defence, human rights, and education.

Mr Blunt highlighted the value of the Commonwealth in advancing fairness and equality, particularly through the conflict, stability and security fund aimed at supporting universal access to justice and promoting democratic participation. He also mentioned the importance of the integrated review announcement by the Prime Minister on security, defence, development and foreign policy.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 sovereign states covering almost 30 million sq km with over 2.5 billion people, and its combined GDP was £10.4 trillion in 2017 moving to an estimated £13 trillion in 2020. The speaker emphasised the political diversity and equal standing of Commonwealth members, advocating for closer economic ties post-EU, support for the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth games, and better recognition and rewards for Commonwealth soldiers and veterans.

Julie Elliott praised the work of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK branch and highlighted its role in connecting women parliamentarians across the world. She emphasized the importance of dialogue to overcome similar barriers faced by women globally and stressed that the CPA provides an opportunity for collaboration on issues such as climate change and modern slavery.

Mr Beresford highlighted the unique nature of the Commonwealth, emphasizing its role in uniting diverse nations under the United Kingdom and the Queen. He discussed historical ties between Australia, New Zealand, and the UK during times of conflict, such as World War I and World War II. He also addressed opportunities for trade, particularly with agriculture and manufacturing sectors, while disagreeing with recent immigration policies.

Mr Graham focused on the work of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in the Commonwealth, highlighting the importance of inclusive and transparent democracy. He noted that funding for the Commonwealth Equality Project, a £1 million project focusing on gender equality and LGBT issues in 15 countries, ends on 31 March without confirmation of continued funding within the next few weeks.

Celebrated Commonwealth Day by focusing on Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Raised concerns about human rights violations in Sri Lanka, particularly regarding Tamil community issues, including a hunger strike by Mrs Ambihai Selvakumar. Highlighted the economic impact of tourism decline due to COVID-19 and the importance of sustainable fishing for the Maldivian economy. Criticised the UK's imposition of 20% import tariffs on tuna from the Maldives compared to other Commonwealth countries, calling for a preferential trade agreement.

Mr Doughty highlighted the Labour party's support for the Commonwealth, emphasizing its positive impact on countries worldwide. He discussed the CPA's work in strengthening parliamentary democracy and addressed issues such as the Windrush scandal, aid cuts to Commonwealth partners, and LGBTQ+ rights violations in some member states. Mr Doughty also raised concerns about VSO facing funding uncertainty and potential closure of country programmes due to FCDO grant reductions.

Mr Clarke recognised the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on extreme poverty in Africa, noting it has pushed over 1 billion people into extreme poverty. He highlighted the importance of collaboration within the Commonwealth to rebuild better, stronger and greener post-pandemic. Mr Clarke also discussed the UK-Kenya economic partnership agreement and its benefits for businesses in both countries. Additionally, he mentioned his attendance at various conferences and forums where trade deals worth over £6.5 billion were facilitated.