Chagos Islands because of the UK’s choice to cede sovereignty.

Britain will nonetheless have delegated sovereignty over Diego Garcia, the one inhabited island within the archipelago and the location of UK/US airbase which is thought to be being of key strategic significance by London and Washington.

However, in an interview with the World at One, Tugendhat mentioned that underneath the deal introduced at the moment Mauritius has not given assurances that it’ll not lease any of the opposite islands to a different nation. “Mauritius is free to lease them out to anyone else, together with, for instance, China,” he mentioned.

Tugendhat, who chaired the Commons overseas affairs committee earlier than he grew to become a minister, mentioned that he didn’t settle for the federal government’s argument (see 1.40pm) needed to give up sovereignty as a result of it was shedding instances in worldwide courts.

He cited Robert Buckland, the previous justice secretary, as one among a number of legal professionals who’ve mentioned the Worldwide Court docket of Justice was fallacious to rule in opposition to the UK on this (Buckland wrote about this right here) and Tugendhat mentioned the UK might have ignored the courtroom’s advisory opinion anyway.

Tugendhat mentioned he agreed the Chagossians had been handled shamefully. However he mentioned they might have been allowed to return with out sovereignty being transferred, and he claimed the Mauritian authorities was not thinking about their plight till they took it up for political causes within the Nineteen Nineties.

And he was notably essential of James Cleverly, his Tory management rival and a former overseas secretary, for beginning negotiations on the switch of sovereignty.

That is one other space the place, I’m afraid, we’re seeing legalism changing management.

And we noticed this legalism within the Overseas Workplace in November 2022 [when Cleverly was foreign secretary] when the Overseas Workplace was pushing for this and no one stopped it till lastly we received management underneath Lord Cameron [Cleverly’s successor as foreign secretary].

Requested to reply to Jonathan Powell’s claims that he was simply engaged in posturing for Tory management contest functions (see 1.40pm), Tugendhat mentioned that Powell had been a Labour activist for a few years and that his criticism of Tugendhat was “foolish” as a result of he (Tugendhat) had been opposing plans to switch sovereignty of the islands for a few years. It was a difficulty he took up as overseas affairs committee chair, he mentioned.

Labour former particular adviser within the Overseas Workplace, accused Cleverly of blatant hypocrisy.

Effectively that is disappointing. I believed Cleverly was a reduce above the populist buffoons round him. Seems he’s simply as a lot of a hyperbolic truth-twister as the remainder of them. The negotiations handy over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands had been initiated by him as a Minister.

10.33am, 11.16am and 12pm), and Vicky Spratt, the housing journalist, has posed these on social media explaining what they imply.

Bleak statistics at the moment clarify why non permanent lodging might be the largest instant downside confronted by Labour…

New govt figures present that the variety of households going through homelessness has exceeded (320,000) between 2023-2024, the very best on file.

That is an 8% rise on 2022-2023 and signifies that the inhabitants of homeless individuals in England is now larger than the inhabitants of Nottingham (stat is from @crisis_uk).

The variety of households pressured to dwell in non permanent lodging stays at file ranges with 117,450 households housed like this by their council. That’s a 12.3% rise on final 12 months.

As of 31 March 2024, a fifth of all households with youngsters in non permanent lodging (22.5%) had been there for five years or extra.

There at the moment are 151,630 youngsters residing in non permanent lodging, which is sufficient to fill 5,700 school rooms…simply let that sink in…

a press release concerning the UK’s take care of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Islands. If something, it’s much more optimistic about it than President Biden’s. (See 2.03pm.) Right here’s an extract.

The USA welcomes at the moment’s historic settlement between the Republic of Mauritius and the UK on the standing of the Chagos Archipelago. The USA has strongly supported negotiations between the 2 nations over the previous two years and is happy to see the profitable end result of this diplomatic effort.

12.31pm) in claiming that the federal government’s choice to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius creates a safety danger.

Two days after Israel is attacked straight by Iran, Labour have put our important base within the Indian ocean in danger.

Anybody who has been listening to the geopolitical local weather will perceive the strategic necessity of those islands. Labour has both not been paying consideration or don’t care.

Both method, this choice weakens UK affect the world over.

As talked about already, the federal government says the deal will “defend our nationwide safety”. The US authorities takes the identical view. (See 2.03pm.)

Chagos Islands choice. However, not like the opposition, Peter Lamb is just not against the return of sovereignty. He needed Chagossians to be deciding their very own future.

That is very disappointing. The choice over the way forward for the islands belongs the Chagossian individuals, it’s not for the UK to cut price away. 60 years on from their exile, they’ve been let down once more.

Lamb is MP for Crawley, the place he was once council chief. The city is dwelling to the biggest group of Chagossians within the UK (round 3,500).

Boris Johnson ebook, and John Crace, the Guardian’s sketch author, has additionally been looking at it.

Weirdly, Jennifer Arcuri doesn’t function within the index of Boris Johnson ebook

Seems that his marriage ceremony to Carrie was one of many happiest days of Boris Johnson’s life. Primarily as a result of he wasn’t paying for it

Chagos Islands deal. He says Liz Truss was PM when the UK authorities began talks with Mauritius about transferring sovereignty. “She could have been eager on eradicating a diplomatic impediment to post-Brexit British buying and selling relations in Asia,” he says.

Right here is the complete article.

Northern Eire from Brexit was exaggerated and was utilized by opponents “to lure the UK within the EU”, Boris Johnson has claimed in his memoir, Peter Walker stories.

Chagos Islands deal.

This can be a shameful choice.

Starmer’s reckless capitulation over the Chagos Islands severely undermines UK nationwide safety.

All of us knew Lammy was weak however now it’s official: he’s China’s helpful fool too.

A darkish day for our nation’s sovereignty.

Chagos Islands because of the UK’s choice to cede sovereignty.

And he was notably essential of James Cleverly, his Tory management rival and a former overseas secretary, for beginning negotiations on the switch of sovereignty.

That is one other space the place, I’m afraid, we’re seeing legalism changing management.

And we noticed this legalism within the Overseas Workplace in November 2022 [when Cleverly was foreign secretary] when the Overseas Workplace was pushing for this and no one stopped it till lastly we received management underneath Lord Cameron [Cleverly’s successor as foreign secretary].

2.01pm.)

However President Biden has issued a press release welcoming the proposed treaty. In it’s he mentioned:

I applaud the historic settlement and conclusion of the negotiations between the Republic of Mauritius and the UK on the standing of the Chagos Archipelago. It’s a clear demonstration that by means of diplomacy and partnership, nations can overcome long-standing historic challenges to achieve peaceable and mutually useful outcomes. This settlement affirms Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, whereas granting the UK the authority to train the sovereign rights of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia.

Diego Garcia is the location of a joint U.S.-UK army facility that performs an important position in nationwide, regional, and world safety. It permits america to assist operations that show our shared dedication to regional stability, present fast response to crises, and counter among the most difficult safety threats we face. The settlement secures the efficient operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the following century.

Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it a “strategic catastrophe”.

Giving up the Chagos Islands is a strategic catastrophe. Our American allies might be livid and Beijing delighted. Labour are making the world a extra harmful place.

1.19pm.) However they might have the ability to return to different islands in the event that they needed, he mentioned.

Lots of Chagossians are both Mauritian residents or have the fitting to Mauritian citizenship.

Going again to the islands … it’s going to be tough. They’re very distant and really arduous to dwell on, and the life there earlier than was very tough.

However sure, we’re committing ourselves to serving to on visits, and we’re committing to a fund to assist on resettlement, if that’s doable.

particular envoy on the negotiations with Mauritius over the way forward for the islands.

In an interview with Radio 4’s the Phrase at One, Powell mentioned that over the previous month he had negotiated “intensively” and to get this settlement and that the deal was “genuinely historic”.

He was additionally scathing concerning the feedback from the three Tory management candidates on the deal. (See 12.31pm.) Requested for his response, he mentioned:

I do suppose these feedback from the Tory management candidates are a bit foolish. James Cleverly was main these negotiations not that many months in the past with the Mauritian authorities [when he was foreign secretary].

The explanation the British authorities began negotiating with the Mauritians was due to the regulation instances. We misplaced a regulation case on the ICJ [International Court of Justice], after which we misplaced one other on within the Legislation of the Sea tribunal. Authorized recommendation was clear that we weren’t going to have the ability to maintain that place. In order that earlier authorities began a negotiation.

What this authorities has achieved has been capable of conclude it, as a result of that authorities managed to lose the belief of the Mauritian authorities through the course of.

So for the individuals who had been concerned in that negotiation to begin criticising the end result of one thing they couldn’t obtain is completely ludicrous.

When it was put to Powell that the earlier authorities didn’t desire a deal like this, he didn’t settle for that.

No, it’s not due to that. The negotiators who’ve been engaged on this are the identical civil servants right through. It’s as a result of they’re criticising it as a result of they need to try to rating factors of their determined try and win the management.

Chagos Islands. He posted this on social media.

That is completely appalling. Surrendering sovereignty right here creates learn throughout to different British bases. It’s a weak and deeply regrettable act from this authorities:

British governments till now refused to surrender sovereignty of the Chagos Islands due to the strategic significance of the Diego Garcia airbase, which is generally utilized by the US. Below the settlement introduced at the moment, Britain will have the ability to train sovereignty rights over the bottom for not less than 99 years. The joint assertion from each governments says:

Each our nations are dedicated to the necessity, and can agree within the treaty, to make sure the long-term, safe and efficient operation of the present base on Diego Garcia which performs an important position in regional and world safety. For an preliminary interval of 99 years, the UK might be authorised to train with respect to Diego Garcia the sovereign rights and authorities of Mauritius required to make sure the continued operation of the bottom effectively into the following century.

Chagos Islands to Mauritius, suggesting means Gibraltar’s future as a British abroad territory could possibly be in danger. He posted these on social media.

The British Authorities is now actively undermining British pursuits abroad.

A complete give up.

Chatting with contacts in Gibraltar, they’re extremely involved following the Chagos Islands capitulation – ‘the skinny finish of the wedge’…

The message is loud and clear – this Labour Authorities is a shame.

Scotland, regardless of having no infrastructure or management north of the border.

He additionally must navigate a change of emphasis as all candidates for the highest job agreed it was time to cease counting on opposition to independence as their tenet.