'Jersey-ness' push to boost the island’s reputation and profile globally

People in Jersey seeking British citizenship could face a stricter Jersey-ness test, pupils in schools could be given lessons in Jersey identity, and the government could make sports teams wear a new Jersey emblem on their kits when playing overseas. They are just three of nearly 50 suggestions to boost a sense of island identity, which the government hopes will boost the Bailiwick's reputation around the world. A new report, called Island Identity, says a changing world, not least post-Brexit, and with shifts to devolution and independence in Scotland and Wales, mean there are practical and economic reasons for considering the issue.

The report says Jersey is seen by some as a “one trick pony” internationally – as purely a finance centre. It adds that that leads to reputational challenges. Its own research found people in Jersey would like others to see the island as “beautiful, fun and safe”, whereas they believed it was seen as a “small, expensive tax haven”. People are being asked to share their own thoughts on the report so that detailed plans for creating a clear Jersey identity can be drawn up.