It is just over four weeks since the government was forced to pause its attempted handover of the Chagos Islands, following an almighty backlash on both sides of the Atlantic. Since then there has been an unsatisfactory stand-off, with Labour sources suggesting that blame for the indefinite pause lay with the White House. Now, a DUP peer has offered a way forward. Lord Weir had the good fortune of being one of 25 to get his number called on Friday when the Upper House did its annual ballot for Private Members Bills. An annual tradition that truly does have Lords-a-Leaping…
Weir has decided to table a ‘British Sovereignty Protection (Chagos Islands) Bill, with its First Reading due on 5 June. The Long Title, seen by Mr S, promises
A Bill to affirm and protect the sovereignty of the United Kingdom over the Chagos Islands and the British Indian Ocean Territory; to make provision restricting the cession or transfer of sovereignty without the approval of Parliament and without the consent of the Chagossian People; to provide for the protection of the Territory’s strategic and defence importance; and for connected purposes.
The Ulster Unionist finished tenth in the ballot, which is significant because that ensures debate time, with the diarising for each stage likely to be favourable to the Bill’s passage. A supporter of Weir argues that the legislation ‘guarantees Chagossian self-determination and cements the Labour 2024 manifesto to protect the Sovereignty of all British Overseas Territories’. That means the Lords is, in their words, ‘faithfully discharging its duties under the Salisbury-Addison Convention’.
Their noble Lords have shown an admirable independence of spirit in the current life of this parliament. Let’s see if they’re willing to stand with the Chagossian people, eh?
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