Baroness Scotland: Commonwealth faces uncertainty over management

The Commonwealth is dealing with uncertainty over its management after its heads of presidency rejected requires the secretary-general, Baroness Scotland, to be given an computerized second time period, the BBC has discovered.

A leaked letter from Boris Johnson suggests an alternate candidate may stand in opposition to her.

Commonwealth diplomats meet on Thursday to debate the organisation’s future.

The Commonwealth Secretariat refused to remark.

Diplomats worry the intergovernmental organisation – comprising greater than 50 nations, lots of them former British colonies, encompassing nearly a 3rd of the world’s inhabitants – now dangers a bitter inside battle over its future management.

Woman Scotland’s four-year time period of workplace as secretary-general involves an finish subsequent month.

Quite a lot of supportive member states instructed earlier than Christmas she ought to get an computerized second time period.

Britain – which presently chairs the worldwide physique – requested all 53 heads of presidency for his or her views.

On 6 January, the prime minister reported again to Commonwealth leaders with the outcomes of the survey.

In his letter – which has been obtained by the BBC – Mr Johnson reveals that twice as many Commonwealth nations rejected the plan to supply Woman Scotland one other 4 years in workplace.

The Commonwealth leaders as an alternative agreed the longer term management of the organisation ought to be determined once they meet in Rwanda in June for his or her biennial assembly.

To that finish, the Commonwealth has agreed to provide Woman Scotland a brief three-month extension to her contract which was on account of expire on 31 March.

Crucially, in his letter, Mr Johnson additionally suggests for the primary time one other candidate might come ahead to problem Woman Scotland.

The BBC has been instructed that Commonwealth diplomats are taking soundings to see if any member states would possibly suggest an alternate contender.

The Commonwealth Secretariat stated that it “doesn’t touch upon leaked paperwork as a matter of precept”.

The questions on Woman Scotland’s future management of the Commonwealth come after she was criticised by inside auditors final November for awarding a profitable consultancy contract to an organization run by a pal.

The BBC revealed last week that the Commonwealth’s Audit Committee accused her of “circumventing” normal aggressive tendering guidelines by awarding a £250,000 fee to a agency owned by fellow Labour peer, Lord Patel of Bradford.

Woman Scotland’s legal professionals insisted the choice to award the contract was absolutely justified. However New Zealand has since confirmed it put its £1.5m annual contribution to the Commonwealth Secretariat on maintain on account of the “important weaknesses” in managing procurement recognized within the KPMG auditors’ report.

Commonwealth excessive commissioners in London are on account of meet on Thursday to debate the challenges presently dealing with the Commonwealth Secretariat, together with the KPMG report.

Diplomatic sources instructed some creating nations may shift their help to an alternate candidate in the event that they worry they may lose Commonwealth income streams below the present management of the Secretariat.

‘No consensus’

Mr Johnson is co-ordinating the talk concerning the Commonwealth’s management as a result of the UK is presently the organisation’s so-called “chair-in-office” having hosted the final leaders’ assembly in London in 2018.

In his letter to the Commonwealth’s 53 heads of presidency, dated 6 January, Mr Johnson says: “Quite a lot of colleagues advocated providing the Proper Honourable Patricia Scotland QC a second four-year time period now.

“Nevertheless, round double that quantity stated that we must always provide her a brief extension of her present contract in order that we are able to talk about, debate and determine the 2020-2024 appointment within the normal approach on the Commonwealth Heads of Authorities Assembly (CHOGM).

“So there isn’t any consensus to supply the present Secretary-Basic a second four-year time period now.”

Mr Johnson says that delaying the choice till June wouldn’t predetermine what alternative the heads of presidency would possibly make.

However he reveals Woman Scotland has but to announce publicly or privately whether or not she intends to face for a second time period, and he additionally suggests for the primary time that an alternate candidate may stand.

“After we meet at CHOGM, every of us will have the ability to help a second time period for Baroness Scotland (if she is requesting…