Senator Philip Bailhache Asks UK To Intervene?

It has been reported (in local State Media) that Senator Philip Bailhache is to ask the UK, including the Minister of Justice, Lord McNally to intervene after Jersey has been put on a "blacklist" by French President Francois Hollande for apparently being an uncooperative Tax Haven.




Philip Bailhache asking the UK to intervene? This is the same man (according to former Police Chief, Graham Power QPM) while Bailiff, along with his brother, William Bailhache, were looking into breaking ties with the UK altogether!




Regular readers will be aware that a document was leaked to the discredited, and disgraced, BBC which it subsequently BURIED. (Despite reporting on the prosecution case). The document was the interim defence case of the former Chief Police Officer and in it he wrote;

"where some notable figures favour an eventual severance of links with the U.K. and would see the ready acceptance of U.K. working practices as running counter to this agenda.   I recall that in 2007 I assisted a small working group which included, among others, the Bailiff Sir Philip Bailhache and the Attorney General William Bailhache. The purpose of the group was to prepare a draft contingency plan for complete independence. I submitted papers to the group on the implications for law enforcement, and used some contacts from my previous role to offer suggestions as to who outside of the island, could assist in developing such a plan. I provided contact details of key figures in the Scottish Government and Administration including the Scottish National Party. I recall that some of the advice and contacts I provided were in an email I sent, probably in July 2007.   This and other experiences reinforced my understanding that there was a tide flowing against closer association with the U.K, and a strong local agenda to develop working models and solutions within the island."(END)




But beside the apparent hypocrisy of Senator Bailhache, one has to ask, just what mandate does the UK really have to interfere with Jersey affairs? According to Lord McNally, the UK really has no business in Jersey affairs as we are apparently a self governing jurisdiction and has refused, on many occasion, to get involved, with what looks to be Jersey's corrupt and politicised judicial system.

Senator Bailhache is not the first island politician to request the intervention of the UK. Deputies Trevor, and Shona, Pitman have also called on Lord McNally to fulfil, the apparent, "obligation" of the UK to ensure good governance, and the Rule Of Law, in the Crown Dependency of Jersey in a Press Release HERE. Lord McNally/UK has refused to get involved claiming it doesn't have the remit. 




With that in mind, what remit does the UK have, to intervene between France and Jersey? Will Senator Bailhache (unlike Deputies Pitman) find a sympathetic ear in Lord McNally and what could that entail? How CAN the UK intervene? Will Lord McNally see the apparent hypocrisy of Senator Bailhache? One minute he's looking into independence from the UK and the next minute asking it for help. If it doesn't intervene will Senator Bailhache use this as another excuse for Jersey to break ties with the UK and go independent?

How can Lord McNally turn a blind eye to this lot (below) and then take Senator Bailhache seriously?