CX Success! The Commonwealth flags will fly during the Games

CX brings welcome news that the UK Culture Department has agreed to allow the Commonwealth flags to remain along Horse Guards Road in Westminster for the duration the Commonwealth Games this year.

This is down to the work of our Advisory Board member, Andrew Rosindell MP, through his persistence and leadership. He told his local newspaper:

"I proposed this to the Secretary of State...that we should fly them in celebration of the Commonwealth Games. To take them down would be ridiculous when the Commonwealth Games are about to begin"

CX played a leading role in bringing this issue to Mr. Rosindell's attention back in April of this year.

Our Change.org campaign added to the calls that is why we owe a huge thank you to all those who signed our petition from all over the Commonwealth. We could not have achieved this without each and every signature. You should all feel proud today.

We will be hosting a picnic along Horse Guards during the Games to celebrate this shared achievement. More details will follow.

For the moment, sit back and enjoy the snaps we took of the Commonwealth Flags over at Horse Guards a few months ago.

Henry Bellingham MP joins CX Advisory Board

We're pleased to announce that Henry Bellingham MP has joined our Advisory Board!

Henry is the Chair of the Commonwealth All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and served as the UK's Minister for Africa, the Caribbean, the Overseas Territories between 2010-2012 (alongside our Chairman Lord Howell who was Commonwealth Minister at the time).

He has also served as the Shadow Minister for Small Business and Enterprise, and as Member of the Trade and Industry Select Committee. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Advisory Board and we are delighted to welcome him.

He joins a number of other Parliamentarians on the board, including APPG colleagues Robin Walker MP and Kate Hoey MP, as well as representatives from across the Commonwealth.

Henry has been supportive of CX from the start speaking at the launch event for Tim's book and attending our own Launch in July 2013. It's great to have him on board!

Henry (second from left) with the Secretary General, High Commissioners, MPs, Peers, and the CX team at our Launch Event

L-R: Henry, Richard Graham MP, CX Exec. Director Tim Hewish, Kate Hoey MP, and Lord Popat at Tim's book launch

Pakistan's new PM in UK for his first bilateral visit in office

Last week Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan was in the UK for a series of meetings with senior members of the UK government for his first official bilateral visit since taking office. The official statement on the visit stated that:

"The UK and Pakistan have a long history of working closely and effectively together as members of the Commonwealth. The UK’s large diaspora population of Pakistani origin has made a significant contribution to British cultural and economic life. Both countries are committed to broadening their relations across many areas."

According to Number 10, "the visit continued the development of the close relationship between the two countries."

Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "Pakistan and the UK continue to work together to strengthen the security and prosperity of both our countries. We share deep historical links and a vibrant British Pakistani community. In today’s meeting we committed ourselves to building on this relationship over the coming years."

During the visit it was announced that there was an agreement to open a new Deputy High Commission in Lahore. The new Trade and Investment, and Cultural and Education Roadmaps were also released. The former of these included the target of increasing bilateral trade to £3 billion by 2015.

Advisory Board Member Robin Walker MP quizzes Government on Commonwealth Trade

Robin at CX's launch event

Robin Walker MP, a member of our Advisory Board and the Secretary of Parliament's Commonwealth All-Party Group, has been quizzing the UK government on trade with the Commonwealth.

In the first of a series of questions, he asked what the UK was doing to promote UK-Commonwealth trade, EU-Commonwealth trade, and intra-Commonwealth trade. The Minister responded as follows:

"The European Commission leads on trade negotiations on behalf of the EU and its member states. The UK is a strong advocate of the EU’s ambitious trade agenda and has supported the pursuit of comprehensive trade agreements with several Commonwealth countries. Negotiations on free trade agreements with Canada and Singapore are close to finalisation, we are the EU’s strongest champion of a trade agreement with India, and a joint declaration between EU leaders and the Prime Minister of New Zealand last month paves the way to potential trade negotiations between the EU and New Zealand starting under the next European Commission."

As we have argued before, whether in or out of the EU, the UK needs to be doing all it can to build these links and relationships. In our submission to the IEA's Brexit Prize we put forward an extensive plan of how the UK could do so if it were to leave but for as long as it remains a member, we must keep encouraging these deals and agreements to maximise Commonwealth trade.

Robin also asked about UK Trade and Investment's (UKTI) activities in Commonwealth Markets and was told that the "UKTI has a presence in 23 Commonwealth markets, accounting for approximately 21% of UKTI overseas headcount."

Finally, he asked for greater detail about the UK's trade with Commonwealth countries (beyond the public data that is available for 10 members) but this information was not provided.

Flying the flags: The Commonwealth in your words

Thanks to all those who have already signed our petition to fly the flags in Parliament Square during the Commonwealth Games this summer. We've had signatures from all over the world and they keep coming. If you haven't already signed, then do so here!

However, what has been really great to see is not just the signatures but the messages that have accompanied them. You can read them all on the petition page but here is a quick visual representation of what the flags, and the Commonwealth more generally, means to you:

Naturally, some of the Commonwealth institutions such as HM the Queen and the Games featured quite heavily. It's also great to see a recognition of the history and heritage of the Commonwealth, the ideas of shared values and of being a family, and support for the Commonwealth continuing to have a role in the future.

To all those who have signed and left messages: Thank you and please tell your friends to do the same!

To those who haven't: Do so here!