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Both the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar will remain British, Sir Keir Starmer has pledged.
The Labour government’s decision last week to hand sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius prompted fierce criticism from the Conservatives and concerns about the future of the UK’s other overseas territories.
But the prime minister told MPs the Falklands and Gibraltar “are British and they will remain British”.
He said the issue was a “personal” one for him because his uncle had nearly died when his ship was torpedoed defending the Falklands.
The Labour leader revealed last year that his uncle served on HMS Antelope during the 1982 Falklands war with Argentina.
The frigate was hit by torpedoes and sank in the South Atlantic. Sir Keir’s uncle survived, but two British servicemen died.
The ten-week conflict had been triggered when Argentina’s military dictator, Leopoldo Galtieri, ordered his country’s forces to invade the islands. Margaret Thatcher’s government sent a naval task force to recapture them.
Argentine forces surrendered, but the country still claims sovereignty over the Falklands, which lie about 300 miles east of Argentina.
On Tuesday, Foreign Secretary David Lammy faced angry scenes and heckling in the Commons, when he made a statement on the Chagos deal with Mauritius.
The UK government wanted the treaty signed and ratified in 2025, he said, arguing it was a “historic moment” which had “saved” the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands.
Shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell said neither of Mr Lammy’s Conservative predecessors – Lord Cameron or James Cleverly – would have agreed the deal, despite 11 rounds of negotiations involving the Foreign Office since 2022.
He called on the government to reassure the people of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands that the “ill-advised decision” would not impact their sovereignty.
Last week, in response to the Chagos agreement, Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino promised “concrete action” to ensure that the Falklands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas, were handed to Buenos Aires.
Spain continues to assert its sovereignty over Gibraltar, which it ceded to Britain in 1713.
But speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir vowed that British sovereignty over both territories would not be up for negotiation.
He was responding to Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who called on him to renegotiate the UK’s trade deal with the European Union in a way that enabled fishermen in the Falklands to sell their catches in Europe without having to pay “huge amounts” in tariffs.
The prime minister replied: “Of course we will do everything we can to make it easier for all businesses to trade more freely so that we can grow our economy.”
But he added: “I’ve been very clear about the Falklands, it’s personal to me.”
Sir Keir has previously spoken about his uncle Roger’s service in the Falklands conflict.
In June, he recalled “the terrible wait when his ship was bombed. My mum’s fear as she sat by the radio every day, listening for news, and then the relief, a long week later, when we found out he had survived.”
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