 Sark's Chief Pleas governs neighbouring Brecqhou |
The billionaire Barclay Brothers have offered to settle a long-standing dispute over the Channel Island they own and live on. The Telegraph group owners, who live in a cliff-top castle on Brecqhou, say the island should not be governed entirely by Sark's parliament, the Chief Pleas.
Their concerns were started by Sark's refusal to allow one of their daughters inheritance rights.
Now they want to set up a group with Chief Pleas to resolve the dispute.
 The Barclays have put pressure on Sark to change its laws |
Sir David Barclay said in a letter to all members of Chief Pleas: "Our disagreements began because we want to leave Brecqhou to our children collectively. "We questioned Sark's jurisdiction over Brecqhou because we believe there are historical grounds for saying that Brecqhou is not part of the fief of Sark."
He added: "We believe if Sark intends to govern day-to day activities in Brecqhou then we can insist it complies with the European Convention on Human Rights."
The Barclays have already put pressure on Sark to end feudal laws which allow landlords an automatic right to sit on the Chief Pleas.
He outlined their objectives:
Sark to legislate for Brecqhou only when making laws that affect the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Sark not to impose any new tax on Brecqhou. Brecqhou to get a seat in Chief Pleas - with perhaps the proviso that it would only vote on matters affecting it. Sir David said: "I truly want to have good neighbourly relations with Sark.
"There has been a lot of misunderstanding and acrimony in the past and I would like to see an end to it, as I'm sure you would too."
Adrian Guille, president of Sark's Constitutional Steering Committee, said the General Purpose and Finance Committee already liaised between the two islands.
"I think there has been an impasse, but it is a little unusual that the Chief Pleas gets a proposition to create a committee without a clear mandate and how many members there are going to be.
"The Chief Pleas has a lot of questions to ask beforehand.
"Sark has taken the interests of Brecqhou onboard in the past on tax and housing laws."
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