PM remarks at UK-Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council: 21 November 2024

Delivered on: 21 November 2024 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

It's a real pleasure to be here, to see you and for many cases sitting round the table to be reminded of my old world, because I have litigated in your countries, or litigated about your country, for about two thirds of you around the table, so it's really good to have this opportunity to talk to you and to be here. Thank you also for coming to London.

I think this is towards the end of two days that you've been here, which I hope has gone well. And I'm deeply appreciative of the fact that I am what stands between you and a drinks reception, so I'll keep this relatively brief.

You have come a long way to be around this table and made a huge effort as you always do. But we are the beneficiaries because we are the ones that gain from the fact that you're here at these discussions, so I really appreciate the time that you've put into it. And believe you me, it really makes a difference to the way in which we approach our shared concerns.

And because it is the first of a new Government this is an opportunity for me to make absolutely clear, to repeat no doubt what others have said, that we want to reset the government's relationship with our Overseas Territories and that's part of a bigger piece of work that we're doing resetting on the international stage -being clear about the role of the UK in an ever more volatile world - but that does include the reset with you.

And that is why it's really important for me personally to be here, because I need to get to know you, you need to get to know me, you need to feel that you can get in touch with me, or David or Stephen, any time you like, it's not a remote relationship. You know who we are and how to get hold of us and how to have a discussion on any issues that are of importance to you.

Just to give you a sense of what lies behind the reset, I stood on the steps of Downing Street the day after the election and made a speech - I hadn't slept for I don't know how many hours at that point - obviously we have an immediate handover of power. But I stood there and said that the one thing we would try to be above all else would be a Government of service.

That is a defining feature of this government, it drives everything that we do and it will drive the reset in our relationship with you as well.

So that sense of real service and personal connection.

And I'll just give to start with an example of the Falkland Islands because as some people will know, my uncle was on HMS Antelope when it sunk. So he was out there fighting. And I remember it acutely.

Because in those days there was no social media, there was no instant access. As you will know, the Antelope went down, lives were lost, and we didn't know what had happened to my uncle. We knew that he was on the boat, but we didn't know whether he'd survived.

I have this image cast on my mind of my mum hunched over the transistor radio, because there wasn't 24-hour news, listening to the 1 o'clock bulletin, the 6 o'clock bulletin, desperately wanting to learn more about how many had survived and who had survived and not.

So these things are often personal I think in the relationships that we have with you and obviously we were very pleased to learn in the end that he was safe and returned, others sadly didn't.

And that sense of service, is why I am able to promise you Britian's unwavering support and I know that is really important for you. That is an ironclad commitment to democratic autonomy and your right to self-determination. It's working in partnership on the issues that matter to us all. Partnership is an important word - with a commitment to the principle of "nothing about you without you."

So there's a partnership there, we work together, and that is the basis that is important.

And it means listening to your concerns. I'm a great believer in the power of face-to-face contact and listening to what people have to say.

Most of the problems that we confront in politics are better solved if we've actually listened to what people are saying to us, heard it first-hand and then arranged in the question of how do we face that challenge, how do we take that opportunity.

And that's why I'm here. Because I've invested a lot in face-to-face time with leaders and I want to do that with you as well so that we can see this thing through together and solve problems together.

That relationship we're resetting with others, with the Commonwealth… I was at the G20 earlier this week, COP the week before that.

But all of that is important and I do genuinely think that when you get to know someone, you see them and understand them - I know how you think, you know how I think - that will massively help the relationship.

I do just want to just quickly touch on the issue of the Chagos Islands because I know you have talked about it, discussed it, and it's been much discussed in the news.

We inherited a situation where the long-term secure operation of the military base was at risk. There was no doubt about that.

It was a unique situation, with unique history and unique circumstances. And it has no bearing on other overseas territories, no matter how much other people try to spin it. It has got absolutely no bearing on any of you.

It was a particular issue that required a particular approach, and actually if you look at the negotiating mandate that the last government set out and what was achieved, and what the US President set out, you can see why it was important that that was the deal that was signed in that particular case.

So my message to you, and the reason I've addressed it, is because I know that it's been on your mind, but it's a unique set of circumstances, it doesn't apply to anyone else and it has no bearing on our relationship with you.

So we will support you, we want to work together on the issues that matter.

We are absolutely focused on economic growth to benefit our communities and that is something where if we can unlock those opportunities on investment and solutions - that's something we can talk through together, with different circumstances and different opportunities in each different territory but that question of economic growth is hugely important.

Health and education of course, breaking down barriers to opportunity - hugely important.

And shared security - protecting every one of our overseas territories.

I think security is probably a more important word now than in recent years, we live in a very volatile world where security is hugely important.

And although there are a lot of miles between us, for some of those around this table, a lot of water, a lot of distance - we have a shared history, shared values and a shared commitment to democracy and the rule of law.

That actually counts for far more than distance and miles. Because that is about the way we think the way we approach things, the way we solve problems together. And it brings us together.

So those are the principles that continue to guide us, as we build a better future for everyone in Britain and in our Overseas Territories.

I will end by saying I look forward to working with you and getting to know you.

As I say I've litigated in quite a number of territories around this table and so it's fascinating for me now to have the opportunity to speak to those that are actually best able to communicate to me the mood, the feeling, the concerns, in our overseas territories.

Thank you very much.