British sovereignty of Falklands and Gibraltar not for negotiation, insists Lammy
British sovereignty on the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and the sovereign base areas is "not up for negotiation", the Foreign Secretary has insisted.
David Lammy made the announcement as he was heckled in the House of Commons while he defended the decision to give up UK control over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after more than 50 years of control.
He said: "The situations are not comparable. This has been acknowledged across our overseas territories."
The Foreign Secretary said the UK Government wants the treaty with Mauritius signed and ratified in 2025, arguing it was a historic moment which had saved the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia – the archipelago's most strategically vital asset, which will remain a crucial military base for both the United States and the UK.
He added that the deal with Mauritius "does not signal any change in policy to Britain's other overseas territories" amid concerns over the possible ramifications of the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.
Conservative Party leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat repeatedly challenged Mr Lammy, shouting "not true" as he set out the reasons behind the Government's decision to relinquish sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
'Not sustainable'
Mr Lammy told the Commons: "Since its creation, the territory and the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia has had a contested existence. In recent years, the threat has risen significantly.
"Coming into office, the status quo was clearly not sustainable. A binding judgment against the UK seemed inevitable and it was just a matter of time before our only choices would've been abandoning the base altogether or breaking international law."
Mr Lammy highlighted support from the US for the deal and said Mauritius would be free to implement a resettlement programme to islands other than Diego Garcia.
Following the concerns over the agreement's impact on other British overseas territories, Mr Lammy added: "The Government remains firmly committed to modern partnerships with our overseas territories based on mutual consent.
"After Mauritius' elections, the Government will move towards treaty signature, and it is then our intention to pursue ratification in 2025 by submitting the treaty and the Bill to this House for scrutiny.
"This is a historic moment, a victory for diplomacy. We saved the base. We secured Britain's national interest for the long term."
The United Nations' highest court, the International Court of Justice, previously ruled the UK's administration of the territory was "unlawful" and must end.
Ahead of Mr Lammy's statement, Downing Street said the deal to give up sovereignty over the BIOT was because of the "unsustainable" legal position and had no impact on other sovereignty disputes.
The agreement over the continued UK-US military presence on Diego Garcia is expected to run for 99 years with an option to renew, with Britain paying a regular annual sum of money.
Chagossians were forced to leave the central Indian Ocean territory by 1973 to make way for the military base.
The expulsions are regarded as one of the most shameful parts of Britain's modern colonial history and Chagossians have spent decades fighting to return to the islands.
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