Keir Starmer has been accused of “misleading Parliament” over key legislation underpinning Labour’s handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Previously, ministers told Parliament they had to act on the Chagos Islands, due to a looming international ruling which would lead to Diego Garcia being “inoperable” within mere weeks.
But, joining GB News this morning, Tory Shadow Minister Alicia Kearns claimed Sir Keir had misled Parliament – with many of such cases culminating in a Prime Minister’s resignation.
Ms Kearns told hosts Ellie Costello and Alex Armstrong: “We have been misled, I think, as Parliament, I’m afraid.
“We were told that there were weeks, only weeks, for which [the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia] could continue to operate safely.
“And now many, many months on, we’re now finding out that actually the entire basis on which the Labour Government said they only had weeks to negotiate and get this done was not true.”
Speaking in the Commons last May, Defence Secretary John Healey said: “The loss of the Diego Garcia military base would now be unthinkable.
“Yet, without action, without this deal, within weeks we could face losing legal rulings…and within just a few years the base would become inoperable.
Ms Kearns claimed Parliament had been misled
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GB NEWS
“Some have suggested simply ignoring international legal decisions. But this is not just about international law.
“This is about the direct impact of law on our ability to operate the base.”
Mr Healey further claimed rulings against Britain would prevent the country from warding off “hostile nations” from installing bases around Diego Garcia, either on the outer islands or carrying out joint exercises close to the base.
As a result, the Minister argued that, without a deal, the safety of Britain’s submarines, aircraft and communications systems would be compromised.
LATEST ON LABOUR’S CHAGOS ‘SURRENDER’:
Sir Keir Starmer at the Munich Security Conference
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“Such developments would deeply damage the security interests of the UK and our allies. It would be a dereliction of our first duty of Government,” he said.
Nevertheless, as Ms Kearns highlighted today, the operation of the military base has persisted beyond Labour’s set date.
Meanwhile, James Lunn, the Chief Executive at Friends of the British Overseas Territories, revealed his organisation received confirmation of the UK’s formal declarations under Article 298 of UNCLOS, which clarify certain disputes, including military disputes, are not subject to such rulings.
He added it was confirmed any precedent indicating that these tribunals do not decide questions of sovereignty in any scenario.
Mr Lunn argued if his information is correct, the legal foundation pur foward in Parliament “collapses”.
He added: “The central justification for entering into these negotiations at speed was that the base was under immediate legal threat.
“If no such threat legally existed, then the Government’s stated reason for engaging in the deal at all is fundamentally undermined.
“Parliament, and the Chagossian community, deserve a full and candid explanation.”
“The Diego Garcia base was never under threat.”
But, in their latest bid to keep their homeland under British sovereignty, a group of Chagossians have declared they are prepared to die before being deported.
With the help of ex-Tory MP Adam Holloway, four Chagossians landed on the shores of Ile du Coin on Tuesday and have doubled-down on their efforts to remain – despite Labour threatening them with four years behind bars.
Misley Mandarin, the First Minister of the islands’ Government-in-exile, told The Telegraph: “I’m worried, but I said so many times I will give my life for my country. If they decide by force to exile me again, they will have to kill me.
“I will run away and if they catch me, they will have to drag me, overpower me and carry me by force to their ship.”
Meanwhile, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: “The UK Government recognises the importance of the islands to the Chagossian community and is working with Mauritius to resume a programme of heritage visits to the Chagos Archipelago.
“This kind of illegal, unsafe stunt is not the way to achieve that.”
GB News has approached the FCDO and the Cabinet Office for comment.