A photograph of Deal or No Deal star Noel Edmonds is pinned up in the unlikely setting of government Brexit supremo Della Fletcher ’s office.

This revelation by leading civil servant Mrs Fletcher proved to be a welcome moment of light relief at a packed business breakfast Brexit event.

Executive director of external relations in the Cabinet Office Mrs Fletcher claimed the government is ensuring the Isle of Man’s voice is being heard in the UK’s corridors of power.

She also ruled out the prospect of island folk having a say if there was any future vote on Brexit.

Mrs Fletcher said that she and her colleagues were having to be prepared for Brexit whether there is a deal or no deal on the UK’s departure date from the EU next March 29.

She spoke to Business News moments after the packed event entitled ’Digesting the Brexit Deal: Business Update’ had ended.

She admitted her reference to Noel Edmonds’s picture, he presented the TV quiz show for 11 years until 2016, ’was a bit of fun’.

But there was no disguising just how seriously the island’s government is taking the issue of Brexit, even though the Isle of Man has never been a member of the EU.

All government departments are having an input, said Mrs Fletcher.

She said: ’The most important issue for us is to ensure the Isle of Man is positioned for whatever outcome may emerge on March 29.

’We are actively looking at whatever happens, the position is that the Isle of Man needs to ensure we have a functioning statute book come March 29.

’And we are working on that through the EU and Trade Bill which has been introduced in to the House of Keys.

’And then running in parallel with that will be the outcome of whether there is a deal or no deal.

’So there is quite a considerable amount of work to do to ensure the island’s position is effective from March 29.’

She was asked to clarify a point she made in the discussion at the Sefton Hotel, Douglas, about passports.

She said: ’Nobody needs to worry as long as they follow what any sensible person going on holiday would do.

’That is to ensure they know where their passport is and to ensure it is in date.

’But again we would encourage everyone to look at the technical notices on the government website. It talks around passports, it talks around whether you want to take your pet on holiday, if you want to drive in the EU post-Brexit.

’Much of what is in the technical notices applies if there is a no deal.

’If there is a deal the arrangements may change or they may continue and we would just encourage anyone who is thinking about travelling, perhaps in early summer next year, to make sure they understand their position.

’People always take sensible precautions when they are planning to travel and they should consider continuing to do that.’

As part of her work Mrs Fletcher told Business News she regularly visits London on Brexit business, often two days a week or three days a fortnight.

’She said: ’There’s a lot of work going on, it’s not just me, there’s a Brexit team in the Isle of Man government .’

She said: ’The Isle of Man voice is certainly being heard.

’It’s being heard effectively and sensibly.

’We think very carefully about what we put forward, it’s very well prepared and it answers any questions the UK may have of us and sets out our position very clearly, our compliance measures and what the Isle of Man needs as part of its relationship with the EU following March 29.’

During the meeting, a member of the audience had asked about why the island did not get a vote in the referendum. And he also referred to the recent huge People’s Vote protest march in London in which thousands of people called for a say in whatever deal the UK negotiates, with many demanding a second vote on the issue.

But Mrs Fletcher made it clear island folk would not take part in such a vote, just as in 2016 when the first referendum took place.

Mrs Fletcher said that for more than 40 years the Isle of Man has never been part of the EU. She told Business News: ’It’s an interesting question but constitutionally if you stand back and look at what we are as a British crown dependency, we are not part of the UK, which is an EU member state and we are not part of the EU.

’We say very clearly that we have Protocol Three that allows us to have a relationship with the EU.

’But what it does not do is make us a member of the EU.’

She used the analogy of being a member of a golf club.

’If you’re part of a club and you’re allowed to invite a friend or a colleague as part of the terms, to come along, if you were to withdraw from that club and it fell, the arrangement for your friend or colleague would also fall.

’And that is what is going to happen when the UK withdraws from the EU.

’The UK’s treaty of accession will fall and Protocol Three is attached to that so by default that will fall.’

Mrs Fletcher said links with Ireland were good. ’But we cannot overlook the fact that Ireland is an EU member state and therefore has to abide by the rules of the EU.’

Asked if she has any gut instinct about what is going to happen and whether it will be a deal or no deal she said: ’I haven’t. It depends on the summits and what is going on and what I have found in this role is that it does not pay to speculate.’

Asked if she is still able to sleep at night she said: ’Absolutely, the island is doing a tremendous job in making sure the island’s voice is heard and we are very clear about what we need to do in the event of a deal and in the event of a no deal.

’It does not mean that it will always be plain sailing or straightforward. Instead of getting involved in the speculation of what may or may not happen, we try to be prepared by looking at each aspect, so we have a number of workstreams running in parallel around a deal or a no deal.’

Asked if people have cause to be worried she said: ’Uncertainty always brings worries and I can understand that.

’But what we are trying to do is give some reassurance as far as we are able. We would like to give more but this is one of the most complicated and complex issues we have ever had to deal with.’

Mrs Fletcher has been working in external relations for 15 years.

Isle of Man Business Network joined forces with the Department for Enterprise and the Cabinet Office to stage the breakfast Brexit event.

From the right, Della Fletcher, director of external relations, Cabinet Office, Carl Hawker, deputy chief executive, Department for Enterprise and Sandra Skuszka, collector of Customs and Excise, Treasury