Exclusive: Brexit puts one million penguins on the Falkland Islands at risk. My latest:
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/…
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/…
Falkland Islands penguins are currently supported by EU conservation funds such as BEST. No more after we leave the EU.
The Falklands' trade minister tells me she wants the government to "ensure that no penguin is left behind" as it's not clear if the Falklands will receive the same level of support for post-Brexit conservation funds.
The government says it will make sure the penguins get what they need from British conservation projects that will replace the EU's. But Falkland ministers are worried that there's still no clear detail on how exactly that will work.
It's one of several major concerns the Falklands has about Brexit. It potentially faces major losses to its fishing and farming industries if there is no deal and they get hit with tariffs.
And, after Brexit, the Falklands falls out of OCTA, a club of European overseas territories that lobbies member states and the EU for political and financial support.
Another issue keeping the Falkland Islanders up at night. The Lisbon Treaty forces EU member states to recognise the islands as British. If there's no deal, though, EU member states no longer have to do this.
What does that mean in practical terms? In all likelihood, probably very little. It's certainly not going to severely undermine the Falkland islands' British status. But in truth no one knows exactly what will happen.
Either way, the case reflects how British overseas territories are feeling left out, forgotten even, in the Brexit talks. And it also shows that the impact of Brexit is going to be felt many, many miles away from the shores of the UK /ends
