Argentina has vowed to make a fresh grab for the Falklands following Labour’s surrender of the Chagos Islands. Buenos Aires “welcomed” Sir Keir Starmer’s humiliating handover of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius. And Argentine officials pledged to “recover full sovereignty of Las Malvinas” – 42 years after the Falklands War.
Yesterday, veterans, politicians, and members of the Armed Forces urged Sir Keir to slap down Argentina’s renewed calls for the South Atlantic islands. But the Prime Minister refused to guarantee that no other British Overseas Territories would be given away – sparking a panicked clarification from a No 10 spokesman.
The comments have sparked outrage, with former prime minister Boris Johnson saying Labour’s decision over the Chagos Islands has left him “genuinely anxious about Britain overseas”. He writes in today’s Daily Mail: “This is what happens when you are governed not by Blairites – as [Labour] pretended to be at the election – but by Leftie ideologues, people who secretly or openly hate such vital concepts as US hegemony, ‘Western values’, Nato and an independent British nuclear deterrent.”
Ex-Tory Armed Forces minister Mark Francois said: “Britain fought a war to liberate the Falklands from a fascist military junta, in which many of our servicemen gave their lives. So, following the total debacle over the Chagos Islands, Starmer’s failure to categorically refute Argentina’s renewed claims over the Falklands is utterly hopeless. As PM, he owes it to all Falklands veterans to now deliver a categorical, unambiguous refusal to the Argentinians, at the despatch box in the House of Commons. Nothing else will now suffice.”
Drum Major Willie Urban, 68, was sent to the Falklands with the Scots Guards when he was 25. Now, he says: “I think there would be a coup if Britain even thought about giving the Falklands over – a coup against the Government. The people want them to be under British sovereignty.”
Ex-defence secretary Grant Shapps said Margaret Thatcher, who was prime minister during the Falklands War, would be “turning in her grave at the idea that we just handed over sovereignty of British possessions”. He added: “We are lucky that Starmer wasn’t in charge when Argentina invaded the Falklands. He would have handed them over on a silver platter.”
Falklands governor Alison Blake also sought to reassure islanders that Britain’s commitment to the territory was “unwavering”. In a later clarification, a spokesman for the PM said: “The sovereignty of the Falklands is not up for debate. Chagos does not change our policy or approach to other overseas territories.”
Conclusion:
The controversy surrounding the Chagos Islands and the Falklands has sparked a heated debate about Britain’s sovereignty and commitment to its overseas territories. While some argue that the decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is a necessary step towards resolving the long-standing dispute, others believe that it sets a dangerous precedent and undermines Britain’s ability to defend its territories.
FAQs:
Q: What is the Chagos Islands dispute?
A: The Chagos Islands dispute refers to the long-standing dispute between the UK and Mauritius over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean.
Q: What is the Falklands dispute?
A: The Falklands dispute refers to the dispute between the UK and Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, a group of islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Q: Why did the UK hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius?
A: The UK handed over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as part of a deal to resolve the long-standing dispute over the sovereignty of the islands.
Q: What is the significance of the Falklands dispute?
A: The Falklands dispute is significant because it highlights the ongoing tensions between the UK and Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, which have been a British overseas territory since 1833.
Q: What is the position of the UK government on the Falklands dispute?
A: The UK government has consistently maintained that the Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory and that it will defend them against any attempts to claim them.