Islands defend autonomy ahead of UK anti-money laundering debate

A UK parliamentary debate this afternoon could see attempts to impose rules on the Channel Islands' registers of beneficial ownership of companies.

One amendment to the bill seeks to 'compel the UK government to legislate for the Overseas Territories to introduce public registers of beneficial ownership of companies'.

Senior politicians from both islands, including both Chief Ministers, were in London yesterday for meetings with UK MPs ahead of the debate, to make sure the islands' constitutional relationship were 'well understood'.