New MP Farage 'friend of Guernsey' - chief minister

Deputy Lyndon Trott said the States of Guernsey will write to all new MPs

Guernsey's chief minister has said Nigel Farage's election to the UK parliament won't be "the disaster some may predict".

Deputy Lyndon Trott labelled Mr Farage as a "friend of Guernsey and regular visitor" who "understands the island's constitutional relationship with the UK".

Mr Farage was elected to represent the constituency of Clacton - the first time he has been voted in as an MP, at the eighth time of asking.

Mr Trott congratulated new Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and said as "leader of the opposition I didn't get any feelings he had adverse reactions towards the Channel Islands".

He said the States of Guernsey would be writing to all new MPs to explain the benefits the island brings to the British economy.

Guernsey's foreign affairs lead Jonathan le Tocq said "the UK has voted for change and with this result change is certainly what it will get".

He stressed the importance of the work the island's external relationship team had done alongside Jersey to engage with Labour at party conferences and in Westminster.

"However there are a lot of new faces there, and whilst I congratulate Sir Keir, closer analysis of the vote will be important, as I’m certain he’s aware, to understand just what kind of change voters were expressing."

Guernsey's chief minister said it was important the UK government understood the importance of the island to the British Isles

Former States economist Andy Sloan warned the decision to appoint Margaret Hodge as a peer in the House of Lords was the most significant thing for the Channel Islands from the last few days.

"Hodge, the scourge of the offshore will obviously continue her campaign from the upper house.

"We're going to need a much better argument than we have in the last ten years."

The BBC has contacted Margaret Hodge for comment.

Mr Trott commented on the possibility of UK interventions in Guernsey matters: "There are other messages which need to be understood, such as that we are fiscally independent from the UK and we are legislatively competent.

"What that means is we make our own laws and the UK needs to be congicant of the fact it cannot legislate on our behalf without consent.

"It's those sorts of messages we will make sure the parliamentarians in the Palace of Westminster understand."