M

Member

Speaking in the House of Lords on 25 November 2025

Debate

Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Contribution

That comment only a few weeks ago gets to the heart of this. The effect of this Bill does nothing to advance the interests of Diego Garcia or the Chagossians. It is certainly not about advancing the British interest. It sacrifices the rights of Chagossians, while harming our own national security, which flows from Cyprus and Diego Garcia in combination, both of which bookend the Suez Canal and underpin our ability to trade globally and generate wealth in our islands. Mauritius has never had a claim on the Chagos—it is the same distance apart as we are from Gibraltar. They are only coupled together on the basis that they were sort of generally in the same direction, and the 19th century desk clerk in the Foreign Office thought they might as well be dealt with together. That is the truth.

About Hansard

Hansard is the official verbatim record of proceedings in the UK Parliament. Every word spoken in the Commons and Lords is recorded and published — this page is a single contribution from that record.

Partner sites