Ben Obese-Jecty

Ben Obese-Jecty

Conservative — Huntingdon

Speaking in the House of Commons on 12 October 2026

Debate

International Update

Contribution

On 28 September, Javier Milei initiated annex VII arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom in relation to halting activities at the Sea Lion oilfield. That deadline expired yesterday, and I assume that we have not complied. The Government have already said that they would robustly defend the Falkland Islands against this, which is great. Javier Milei will now initiate proceedings under the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. I agree that we should push back against this. However, last May, the former Defence Secretary, the right hon. Member for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough (John Healey), said from the Dispatch Box that the “most proximate, and the most potentially serious” legal challenge facing us about the Chagos islands was “the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.”—[Official Report, 22 May 2025; Vol. 767, c. 1291.] Why are we prepared to defend the Falkland Islands against ITLOS, but not the Chagos islands?

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