Gunboats in Jersey - what really happened

[wilts rover]

Fascinating read from someone on the islands that, although very niche, I thought should have it's own thread so it doesn't get missed by anyone interested.

The Channel Islands, which are not part of the UK, have never been in the EU, and thus Brexit and the Brexit Agreement, had no effect whatsoever on their status with the EU (or UK).

So what happened last week - and why were two Royal Navy gunboats dispatched there in the week of important elections in the UK? Read on:

https://westcountrybylines.co.uk/gunboats-at-the-ready/

[SydneyRover]

Interesting indeed Wilts, thanks

[wilts rover]

Indeed Sydney. I had presumed when I heard the chap from the Jersey government say on the BBC that they had introduced the new rules because of the new Brexit agreement, they were part of that agreement. But it appears not.

So why did they do it? And why did he say it?

The answers are in the link above.

[SydneyRover]

The answer is too subtle for me Wilts, I thought the CI was a British protectorate and that therefore they sort of belonged to the UK in some way. The admin of the licencing system is an absolute shocker. The only thing I can think of is that the official was looking for a way for johnson to intervene at some point.

''There is only wave upon wave of incompetence and bureaucracy, ruffled by the winds of aggressive nationalism''

Where have I seen that before?

[SydneyRover]

I've been to the CI a couple of times when visiting the region, I have a friend whom I travelled with years ago.

I just read part of CI wiki and their governance is seriously complicated:

''The Chausey Islands south of Jersey are not generally included in the geographical definition of the Channel Islands but are occasionally described in English as 'French Channel Islands' in view of their French jurisdiction. They were historically linked to the Duchy of Normandy, but they are part of the French territory along with continental Normandy, and not part of the British Isles or of the Channel Islands in a political sense. They are an incorporated part of the commune of Granville (Manche). While they are popular with visitors from France, Channel Islanders can only visit them by private or charter boats as there are no direct transport links from the other islands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands#:~:text=The%20islands%20were%20invaded%20by,allegiance%20to%20the%20English%20Crown.

[belton rover]

Put your hands up if you voted Conservative because we sent gun ships to the Channel Islands this week.

[Dagenham Rover]

Actually they are self governing British Crown Dependencies   Which very basically means the UK looks after them  so the RN had every right to be there 

[Glyn_Wigley]

Actually they are self governing British Crown Dependencies   Which very basically means the UK looks after them  so the RN had every right to be there 

Even if the CI didn't ask for or want them there?

[belton rover]

Reassurance for the islanders, and a message that ‘their’ government haven’t forgotten them.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/voices/jersey-france-uk-fishing-gunboats-b1843091.html%3famp

[Bentley Bullet]

Never been the same place since Bergerac retired.

[Metalmicky]

Loved the paragraph about Boris and Churchill........ a good read - TY wilts.

[normal rules]

You’ve got to love the media for bogging up the gunship rhetoric. Those two vessels are part of the royal navy’s uk fishery protection contract.
They’ve been about for years.
Fishing fleet patrol boat doesn’t sound as dramatic as gunship though I suppose

[belton rover]

Oh, so THAT’S what really happened: nothing.

[SydneyRover]

Yep, just a press release from the government to media outlets is all belton

[Filo]

You’ve got to love the media for bogging up the gunship rhetoric. Those two vessels are part of the royal navy’s uk fishery protection contract.
They’ve been about for years.
Fishing fleet patrol boat doesn’t sound as dramatic as gunship though I suppose

If they are anything like the ones we built at Richard Dunstons when I was an apprentice, they had one Gun monted on the forward deck, no other guns at all, and a crew of about 10

[SydneyRover]

Press release from the government: just a normal day for fishery protection, we want to inform everyone that a couple of our boats will be turning right on Wednesday, that's all folks.

[BobG]

Funny that Wilts. I haven't read the thread - just your first post. But when I heard of this reversion to Palmerstonian diplomacy last week my very first thought was 'There's an election in a couple of days'.

I verily believe Britain is amongst the most corrupt nations on Earth. This is simply one manifestation of an endemic problem. In other times this was called gerrymandering.

BobG

I've read the thread now. And the link. It's easy to be a right wing politician today isn't it? Just about anything can be dressed up in a nationalist fervour designed to get the vote out... I wonder what Disraeli would make of the Party he once led with such distinction?

You might be interested in the short article in the link below. Irrespective of anyone's personal political inclinations the Matthew Parris article in the link gives plenty of food for thought - for everybody - of every persuasion. One can pick holes in detail, but the over riding premise, both red and blue, deserves serious thought. I have been asking myself, for a while now, just where does my view of political welfare coincide with what is offered by the parties various. I think that is a question that every single thinking person should be asking him or herself now.

We are in revolutionary times. We each have choices that need to be made. Continuing to follow a traditional mind set, just because it's there, is no longer good enough. Doing so is leading to huge swathes of seismic change that the voter who continues to follow his traditional path is finding decidedly uncomfortable. Examples abound: the Conservative successes across the deprived North and Midlands is indeed seismic - but in who's interest is it? And the Labour successes in Kent and suburban London is heading in that direction too. When the stockbroker belt votes Labour and the industrial north votes Tory something big is happening. Matthew Parris the first commentator I have read or heard who discusses its implications. We should all be thinking about them.

Me? I'm joining XR and the local Anarchists.

https://twitter.com/peterjukes/status/1390995245932982273/photo/1

(If you click on the article itself it will load at a size you can actually read).