US may join Commonwealth
BRITAIN: The Royal Commonwealth Society, an independent charity that works alongside the 52 members of the Commonwealth, is planning to open a branch in New York with a view to bringing the United States into the fold as an ‘‘associate member’’.
The project, said to be backed by the Queen, has come about in part as a result of US President Donald Trump’s fondness for Britain and the royal family.
It follows efforts to develop the Commonwealth as a tool for building relationships on foreign policy and trade following Britain’s exit from the EU.
‘‘The UK rather left this treasure in the attic, and forgot about it because people were so glued to Brussels,’’ said Michael Lake, the director of the Royal Commonwealth Society.
Opening a branch in the US, Lake said, would further Britain’s ties with America, developing new connections between the two countries.
Lake said the plans had been hastened by the ‘‘opportunity of a new president, and the slightly dangerous but great fun opportunity that the ‘Bad Boys of Brexit’ offered’’.
In December, Lake wrote a letter to Trump, which was handdelivered by Andrew Wigmore, an aide to Nigel Farage, and then passed on by the former Ukip leader. Wigmore joined Farage and Arron Banks, the millionaire businessman, in visiting Trump after the US election and continues to have close ties with the administration.
Farage, who has emerged as an ally of Trump, promoted the idea with senior aides, reportedly presenting the letter to Steve Bannon, the president’s chief strategist.
He believes the Commonwealth alliance fits well with Trump’s foreign policy outlook. The president, for example, is said to have expressed his desire for India to be a ‘‘true friend and partner’’ in a phone call with Narendra Modi, the country’s prime minister.
Lake wrote that opening a Commonwealth branch in America would help the UK and the US ‘‘find imaginative ways’’ to work together.
Wigmore said the response from the White House was ‘‘very positive’’.
Although Lake has not yet received a formal confirmation, discussions are said to be under way to establish an office in New York. It is part of an effort by Lake to raise the profile and relevance of the modern Commonwealth, seeking to make it more active in matters of foreign policy.
‘‘It has been very introspective, it needs to more extrovert,’’ he said. ‘‘In that sense we have adopted a policy of getting branches of the Commonwealth in non-Commonwealth countries.’’
The idea, he said, is to promote ‘‘mutually advantageous’’ links with ‘‘reliable friends’’ around the world on everything from business to defence.
The advantage of the Commonwealth, Lake said, was that it operated less formally than government.
‘‘It works because companies find it easier and more congenial to work in Commonwealth countries,’’ he said. ’’The Queen is our patron and I see her from time to time, and she makes it clear to me that the Commonwealth is a priority to her.’’
A new branch of the society has opened in Helsinki, acting as a Baltic-Scandinavian hub, to help facilitate business ties with Commonwealth nations.
Banks said the move was welcome. ‘‘Trump is going to be the most pro-British president ever. Since America was part of the Commonwealth, nothing should stop them from becoming an associate member of the Commonwealth.’’
Banks said opening an RCS branch in the US was a step towards the bigger goal.
‘‘Team Trump] were very positive. He said he wants a trade deal,’’ Banks said. ‘‘The idea behind opening the RCS branch is to get high-profile British businessmen and American businessmen to pull things together’’.
The main Commonwealth organisation distanced itself from the suggestion, however.
A spokesman said: ‘‘The Commonwealth and the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) are separate organisations with different governance structures and purposes. The Royal Commonwealth Society is an independent civil society organisation. While it may be interested in opening an RCS branch in the USA, this should not be confused with offering the US membership in the Commonwealth.’’
The spokesman said any existing member of the Commonwealth could veto a US application if it was made and there was no such thing as ‘‘associate’’ status.
‘‘The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent and equal sovereign states. Commonwealth heads of government have agreed on criteria and a process for applying for Commonwealth membership.
‘‘All member governments must reach consensus on admitting any new member.‘‘
– Telegraph Group, The Times