Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel MP has presented a Bill in Parliament to block Labour’s Chagos Surrender Deal.
The Bill specifies that the Chagos Archipelago, formally known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, falls under British sovereignty, that sovereignty cannot be negotiated away or surrendered without Parliamentary approval, and prohibits monies being given to foreign governments unless authorised by Parliament.
This will address concerns over the way Labour have negotiated away the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in secret and are planning to give £30bn of taxpayers’ money to Mauritius to pay for the privilege.
Labour have also refused to make parliamentary time available to debate and vote on their surrender deal, and this Bill would stop Parliament being sidelined.
The title of the Bill is as follows:
The Bill also makes provision for any discussions about the future sovereignty and constitutional arrangements for the Chagos Islands to include engagement and consultation with British Chagossians. They have been ignored and neglected by Labour as they pressed ahead with their surrender deal, leaving them angry and upset, with a series of legal challenges being made by them.
The Treaty agreed by Labour does not guarantee them any rights to visit or resettle on the islands as this will be controlled by Mauritius, and a Chagossian Trust Fund UK taxpayers will fund with £40m will be under the full control of the Mauritian government.
Priti said:
“Labour’s Chagos surrender deal undermines our national security, will cost British taxpayers £30bn and has betrayed British Chagossians. Within days of coming to government last year the white flag was already being waved by Labour and now we can all see the huge costs it will have and the shameful failure to consider the rights of British Chagossians. This Bill will block the surrender of sovereignty and betrayal of British Chagossians.”
“Keir Starmer and David Lammy have been too busy cosying up to their left-wing lawyer friends and activists to defend our national interests. Parliament must put a stop to this shameful surrender deal and legislate to protect our sovereignty, the rights of British Chagossians and taxpayers’ money.”
Labour can force it through with a large majority, however, it shows Mauritius that it will be revisited by a future UK govt.
Mauritius rather stupidly opened that door by trying to re-open negotiations after it was signed – if one side can do it, so can the other. In the UK’s case, it will be “re-opened” to exit it completely.
That won’t be possible. Once a treaty is ratified, it’s ratified. It then becomes legally binding on future governments.