British Home Secretary Alan Johnson has weighed into the row over Premier Ewart Brown's controversial Guantánamo Bay actions.

Mr. Johnson told the House of Commons he has been in talks with Foreign Secretary David Miliband following Dr. Brown's decision to bring four Uighurs to Bermuda without permission from the UK. "The discussions have been robust, and we are absolutely at one on the basis of what happened," said Mr. Johnson. "The Foreign Secretary is raising the matter with the American authorities."

He was responding to a question from Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay, who asked what talks had been going on "in respect of the arbitrary decision by the Premier of Bermuda to allow people from Guantánamo Bay to settle in Bermuda, when that is a matter for the competence of the UK government in London and, I believe, the responsibility of the Home Secretary".

Dr. Brown claims he only consulted with Immigration Minister David Burch because he thought the matter was purely to do with immigration; Governor Sir Richard Gozney argues it was a security issue, which needed to be decided by the UK.

Previously, Mr. Miliband has said Bermuda started resettlement negotiations with the US administration more than 20 days before the Uighurs arrived. This week, he confirmed Sir Richard was first informed of the transfer at 8.20 a.m. on Thursday, June 11 — two hours after they arrived.

Responding to Parliamentary Questions from Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, Mr. Miliband also explained the rules in conducting foreign affairs. "The Governor has responsibility for the conduct of any business of the Bermuda Government with respect to the external affairs of Bermuda in accordance with section 62 of the Bermuda Constitution," he stated.

"The Government of Bermuda have been delegated, subject to certain conditions, authority under a 1968 General Entrustment to negotiate and conclude agreements in certain specified areas with other countries.

"Other entrustments have also been issued at various times authorising specific negotiations."

The UK is currently carrying out a review of the General Entrustment in the light of Dr. Brown's Guantánamo move.