Seema Malhotra

Seema Malhotra

Labour (Co-op) — Feltham and Heston

Speaking in the House of Commons on 28 January 2026

Debate

British Indian Ocean Territory

Contribution

Let me make a few remarks before I give way. The motion proposes a wildly exaggerated cost, in contrast to the actual costings published by this Government at the time of the treaty’s introduction, which has been verified by the independent Government Actuary’s Department. The motion invokes an exchange of notes, which the Government have publicly confirmed is being updated with our US partners. It also attempts to bind parliamentary procedure on that exchange despite that exchange not having been finalised. That is not patriotic. That is political point scoring at the expense of our national security. It is a sad indictment of what the Official Opposition have become.

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