Editing History of Anguilla (section)

==Modern Anguilla==
{{Main|British Overseas Territories}}
[[File:Flag of St Christopher Nevis Anguilla.svg|thumb|Flag of St Christopher Nevis Anguilla]]
On {{start date and age|1967|02|27|df=y|p=y}}, Britain granted the territory of [[Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla]] the status of "[[associated state]]", with its own constitution and a considerable degree of self-government. Many Anguillans strenuously objected to the continuing political subservience to Saint Kitts, and on 30 May 1967 (known as "Anguilla Day"), the Kittian police were evicted from the island.<ref name=gov/>  The provisional government requested United States administration, which was declined.  On 11 July 1967 a referendum on Anguilla's secession from the fledgling state was held. The results were 1,813 votes for secession and 5 against.<ref name=gov/> A separate legislative council was immediately declared. Peter Adams served as the first Chairman of the Anguilla Island Council. After eight days of negotiation on Barbados, on July 31, Adams agreed to return Anguilla to the Anguilla–St{{nbsp}}Kitts–Nevis federation, in exchange for granting Anguilla limited self-rule similar to that enjoyed by Nevis.<ref name="modestobee">{{cite news |title=Anguilla goes back to union |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HxExAAAAIBAJ&dq=anguilla%20peter-adams&pg=6076%2C330405 |newspaper=[[The Modesto Bee]] |date=August 1, 1967 |access-date=June 5, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Adams agreed to support this pact in principle, but the Council rejected it, replacing Adams as Chairman with [[Ronald Webster]].<ref name="newscourier">{{cite news |title=Anguilla levels warning at force |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Kn1JAAAAIBAJ&dq=anguilla%20peter%20adams&pg=2384%2C2545725 |newspaper=[[The News and Courier]] |date=August 12, 1967 |access-date=June 5, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="leaderpost">{{cite news |title=Anguilla seeks permanent ally |last=Berrellez |first=Robert |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WepUAAAAIBAJ&dq=anguilla%20peter-adams&pg=2408%2C1612310 |newspaper=[[The Leader-Post]] |date=September 9, 1967 |access-date=June 5, 2012}}</ref> In December, two members of Britain's [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] worked out an interim agreement by which for one year a British official would exercise basic administrative authority along with the Anguilla Council. Tony Lee took the position in January 1968,<ref name=gov/> but by the end of the term no agreement have been reached on the long-term future of the island's government.

On 7 February 1969 Anguilla held a second referendum resulting in a vote of 1,739 to 4 against returning to association with Saint Kitts. At this point Anguilla declared itself an independent republic, with Webster again serving as Chairman.{{Citation Needed|date=August 2022}}  A new British envoy, [[William Whitlock (politician)|William Whitlock]], arrived on 11 March 1969 with a proposal for a new interim British administration. He was quickly expelled.<ref name=gov/> On 19 March 1969, a contingent of [[2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment|2nd Battalion]], the [[Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom)|Parachute Regiment]], and 40 [[Metropolitan Police]] officers [[Operation Sheepskin|peacefully landed]] on the island, ostensibly to "restore order".{{Citation Needed|date=August 2022}}  That autumn the troops left and Army engineers were brought in to improve the public works. Tony Lee returned as Commissioner and in 1971 worked out another "interim agreement" with the islanders.<ref name=gov/> Effectively Anguilla was allowed to secede from [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]], receiving its first constitution on 12 February 1976. It was not until 19 December 1980 that Anguilla was formally disassociated from Saint Kitts to become a separate British dependency by the [[Anguilla Act 1980]].<ref name=gov/> While Saint Kitts and Nevis went on to gain full independence from Britain in 1983, Anguilla still remains a British overseas territory.

In recent years Anguilla has become an up-market tourist destination, and tourism is one of the mainstays of the economy. Fishing is another important economic activity, and a financial services sector is also being developed. The modern population of Anguilla is largely of African descent, with a minority having European (mainly English) ancestry.<ref>{{cite book|title=Fodor's in Focus St. Maarten, St. Barths & Anguilla|page=110|isbn=978-1-4000-0758-5|edition=1st |publisher=[[Fodor's]]|year=2008}}</ref>