With New Zealand starting the process of deciding whether to the keep the Union Jack in the corner of its flag, and Australia abandoning Knights and Dames, it may feel like a challenging time for the Commonwealth. But a recent campaign to remove visa restrictions between the UK, Australia and New Zealand is seeking to replace the old image of imperialism with a mutually beneficial focus on cultural connections and the economic advantages of labour mobility. Chosen for their shared language, government and common law legal systems and similar cultural values, freedom of movement between the four nations is the subject of a Commonwealth Exchange report, based on an idea by Boris Johnson, and has achieved the backing of 35,000 people in a petition.
