Brit MP hits back after stinging criticism

Andrew Rosindell, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Overseas Territories (BOTs), visited the island last month on what he described as a “goodwill visit”.

Mr. Rosindell met Premier Paula Cox, Government figures and representatives from other political parties to discuss Britain’s relationship with Bermuda.

The Conservative MP for Romford, Essex, said the U.K. coalition government wanted to forge a new relationship with the BOTs, away from the colonialism of the past to a more inclusive approach.

But some of his comments in interviews with the media were lambasted by Sen. Burch this week in the Senate.

Bernews reported that the Government Senator accused Mr. Rosindell of being “disrespectful” and “out of order”.

Sen. Burch, Minister of National Security, reportedly rebuffed the U.K. MP’s wish to see the Union Jack fly alongside the Bermuda flag in Front Street, saying he should “stay home and fly it”.

As for Mr. Rosindell telling The Royal Gazette that Paula Cox appeared “cynical” about the U.K.’s desire for closer links with its BOTs, Sen. Burch said: “That is a breach of every solitary protocol that exists across the planet, irrespective of politics.”

In the Bernews report, Sen. Burch said Mr. Rosindell was trying “to tell us what to do… I just cannot allow the fact that the man just disrespected us, and I will say one more thing — he is lucky, he’s lucky I don’t allow my personal offence to dictate my Ministerial responsibilities… I could put him on the stop list you know.”

The Bermuda Sun asked Sen. Burch to comment on his remarks, but received no response by press time.

Mr. Rosindell however, defended his visit and said Sen. Burch should feel “ashamed”.

“Isn’t it sad when a minister of the Bermuda Government — who didn’t even meet me or hear anything I was saying — is just going on what he’s read and decides to attack me, when I came as a friend of Bermuda,” Mr. Rosindell said.

“The whole purpose of my visit was to build a stronger relationship with Bermuda as part of the British family.

“I don’t understand why he chose now to criticize me rather than when I was there and he could do it face to face. For him to come out with such an outburst is unfortunate.”

Cynical

Mr. Rosindell added: “I suggest he also gets his facts right.

 “Paula Cox and I had a frank discussion about things and when I said we had a different attitude to the British territories and didn’t want to have a colonial attitude but one of equal partners, she said, ‘Forgive me but I’m cynical about it’.

“It’s well known Ms Cox has those views and I’m glad she expressed them to me frankly.

“But it really doesn’t help when a Minister such as this chooses to badmouth a visiting friend of Bermuda. It is shooting Bermuda in the foot.

“I’m not going to take it up because I realize he is a lone voice in this.

“I had a lot of warm meetings with the PLP and there were a lot of things we agreed on.

“He [Sen. Burch] should be ashamed of himself, because it’s not helping Bermuda.

“If he thinks a British MP who visits one of Her Majesty’s territories can be put on the stop list simply because I say Bermuda is a British territory and should be flying the British flag… He doesn’t like it that I’ve come here and expressed strong views, and I had support from the people of Bermuda.

“But clearly his views are unpopular. If they were popular Bermuda would have been independent a long time ago.

“He demeans himself by threatening to bar a friend of Bermuda, particularly a British MP.

“Does he not realize Bermuda is a British territory? He has as much right to visit Britain as we do Bermuda.”

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