Commonwealth should become a trade bloc and invite Ukraine to join, says new report
The IndependentSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The report also recommends: A new Commonwealth Trade and Investment Commission which makes the most of the Association’s existing advantages based on a common language and similar administrative systems A role for William, Prince of Wales, to champion environmental causes across the Commonwealth – such as promoting green-energy transitions and stewardship of the oceans The creation of a new Security and Defence Co-operation Forum which encourages joint military and naval exercises as expressions of solidarity with members facing threats to their territorial integrity For the Commonwealth to adopt a policy of ‘strategic expansion’ to broaden its membership into the Middle East and North Africa region, with countries of interest including Morocco and Oman open image in gallery Ukraine could be a vital addition to the Commonwealth, the report adds Mr Harper said: “The Commonwealth of Nations is a unique international association – 56 member countries spanning the continents, incorporating some of the most dynamic and energetic cities on Earth. “This much-needed report by Policy Exchange rightly calls for the Commonwealth’s strategic potential to be harnessed – especially through the fostering of stronger trade and investment relationships which build on existing advantages based on linguistic, legal, and administrative commonalities.” Mr Downer added: “There has been a failure in the spheres of British politics, policy, and media to recognise the Commonwealth as a potentially enormous asset for both the UK and emergent friendly nations – to the point that it is at times unthinkingly dismissed as an irrelevant outdated relic of the British Empire. “As the multi-country polling presented in this excellent Policy Exchange report shows, the majority of people in India and Nigeria believe that the UK does more good than harm in the world – which is sadly not the case among Britons themselves.” open image in gallery Former Canadian PM Stephen Harper backs the plan The report has also received cross-party backing from Tory and Labour MPs on the all-party parliamentary group for the Commonwealth. Labour MP Adam Jogee MP, co-chair of the APPG, said: “Our new Labour Government has a golden opportunity to adopt an authentically progressive, inclusive, internationalist, and outward-looking foreign policy agenda which pays worthy attention to the Commonwealth's potential value and in doing so, it will have my full support.” His Tory co-chair Andrew Rosindell added: “A confident and self-assured Britain is needed at the heart of the Commonwealth – a family of nations which must remain committed to greater international peace and security.” Dr Rakib Ehsan, senior adviser at Policy Exchange and author of the report, said: “The forthcoming Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Samoa presents a golden opportunity for the UK to both articulate an ambitious vision for the Commonwealth and project a confident image of itself on the international stage.”