Poles???

[Magpie_Oz]

Mozambique, Cameroon and Rwanda would like to talk to you about something.

Part of Cameroon became a British territory after WW1, hence dominion.

"The Statute of Westminster 1931, as a fundamental founding document of the organisation, laid out that membership required dominionhood."

This requirement has been altered in later years to allow membership to countries with more tenuous links to the British Empire.

In Mozambique it was due to a prevalence of the English language and the part played by British companies in their early development.

Rwanda was more a case of annoying the French which is reason enough for the British to do anything

But this was well after 1945 when camping in Scotland was not seen as sufficient nor did the Polish ever express a desire to join.

As for why it still exists? Well it is good to have friends and despite all that has gone on, being associated with the British empire or what is left of it still carries a certain amount of street cred.

[Blackcat]

"Rwanda was more a case of annoying the French which is reason enough for the British to do anything"

So very true and so we should. To quote Wellington, "We always have been, we are, and I hope that we always shall be detested in France."

"As for why it still exists? Well it is good to have friends ..."

I think the Aussies, New Zealanders, Canadians and Brits will always be friends. As a group they provide the exception to Palmerston's wise words, "Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests"

[Michael Emrys]

Speaking, I presume, of Poles living in the UK:

Because you have never been nor will ever be part of the British Empire, a prerequisite for being part of the Commonwealth.

But what if you adopt British citizenship?

Michael

[Magpie_Oz]

Speaking, I presume, of Poles living in the UK:

But what if you adopt British citizenship?

Michael

Are you taking the piss?

The Commonwealth relates to countries not people.

[Michael Emrys]

Are you taking the piss?

Excellent idea, but no.

The Commonwealth relates to countries not people.

But rune's question concerned persons.

Michael

[DaveyJJ]

Or 'Nations that have the Union Jack symbol on their flag.'

In this specific case, Union flag, not Union Jack. A jack is a small naval flag so, technically, all Union Jacks are Union Flags, but not vice versa. The name Union Jack is in common usage since the early 1900s but the Royal Navy rightly points out that a Union Flag must be sanctioned both by the Admiralty and by Parliament. The Royal Navy, the Flag Institute and Parliament all slightly disagree though. best to generally assume Union Flag on land, Union Jack if a smaller version of the flag flown on the bow or stern jackstaff while a ship is dressed at sea.

[Magpie_Oz]

But rune's question concerned persons.

He did mention Government in Exile but I do see on reading it again that he spoke of people. On what a person considers themselves to be and for what reason I cannot comment. I would have thought that the Polish Army in Exile would consider themselves Polish.

But what ever the Polish soldiers might think : "The Commonwealth relates to countries not people."