Visit to Sark (1): our group of 23
In my near 68 years of travel to 69 countries, I’ve only been to the Channel Islands (which I don’t count as a country for my list) once when I attended a trade union conference on Jersey. Today though, I travel to the tiny island of Sark (population just 550), which is located next to Guernsey, for a special occasion.
Some 23 of us – from Britain, Israel and the United States – are travelling to the island for the launch of a book by my good friend Eric Lee. The work is called “Operation Basalt: The British Raid On Sark And Hitler’s Commando Order” and I’ve reviewed it here.
May 23rd, 2016 at 10:35 pm
Hi Roger,
I first joined your blog readership after reading your explanation of American political system and we exchanged emails.
I actually live in Jersey and we think of ourselves as a separate country; separate from Guernsey too, who think of themselves as separate from us. There’s nothing like close neighbours to amplify the differences.
We have our own parliaments,vote for our representatives (called Deputies) make our own laws, regulate our own immigration etc
Jersey born who do not have one British grandparent do not have automatic right to work in the uk.
We have a representative of the Queen in the Lieutenant Governor, but we are independent.
The official term for Jersey’s status re the uk is that it is a ‘Peculiar of the Crown.’
Sark is another story! A feudal territory owned by the Barclay Brothers.
Of course there are historic links but it will be interesting to see what happens if England votes to leave Europe.
May 24th, 2016 at 4:00 pm
Hi, Catherine.
It was a real struggle to explain to our American and Israeli visitors exactly what is the constitutional relationship between the Channel Islands and the UK!