COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
THE COMMONWEALTH: STANDING UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT
The new Commonwealth Charter dispels the myth that this association of sovereign states is out-dated and sets continuing goals that all can use to hold it accountable, says the British Minister of State responsible for Commonwealth affairs.
Rt Hon. Hugo Swire, MP, in London. Mr Swire is the United Kingdom Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsible for, among others, the Commonwealth. A Conservative Member of the House of Commons since 2001, he has held several posts including Opposition Whip and Minister of State for Northern Ireland. He previously worked in the arts and served in the U.K. Armed Forces.
rule of law. When we want to raise standards of human rights across the world, the Commonwealth and its networks can help to get the message out there and to take the lead in improving the way things are done.
A modern role Rt Hon. Hugo Swire, MP
I am very proud to be the United Kingdom Minister responsible for our relationship with the Commonwealth, taking over from Rt Hon. the Lord Howell of Guildford who was, and remains, committed to its future. This is an organization I passionately believe in, and one that has enormous potential to do good in the world. Commonwealth membership is based on shared values of democracy, human rights and the
108 | The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Two
Over the last few years, there has been a great deal of discussion in the U.K. Parliament and the media about the need for modernization: to find a happy medium that encompasses the past and the present. We have been all too aware that if the Commonwealth cannot protect democracy and stand up for human rights, then it risks losing credibility and becoming untenable. Our government strongly
supports the Commonwealth’s efforts to increase its profile, relevance and effectiveness. We actively supported the strengthening of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action
Group’s (CMAG) role so that it can take leadership on important issues. For our government,
Commonwealth values underpin everything we do and that is why I am so pleased that the Commonwealth has agreed to a Charter setting out those values. The Charter was presented to Her Majesty The Queen on Commonwealth Day, 11 March 2013, and was also laid before Parliament in the form of a Command Paper on 4 March.
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