Letter to Labour Members of Parliament - September 2026
A letter to all Labour Members of Parliament from Friends of the British Overseas Territories.
NEWS FROM FOTBOTBRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
On 2nd September, FOTBOT Chief Executive wrote to all Labour Members of Parliament. We are now publishing that letter in full, which you can read below.
Dear Member of Parliament,
I hope you had an enjoyable summer recess and may I take this opportunity to welcome you back to Westminster.
I would also like to congratulate the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, and wish him and his Government every success. A new premiership inevitably provides an opportunity to look afresh at some of the most significant decisions facing the country. We believe that the proposed transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands should be one of them. I am writing as Chief Executive of Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT), an independent and politically neutral charity which works to promote, support and increase awareness of the UK's Overseas Territories and their people.
For those who have not followed the Chagos issue closely, the proposal would see the United Kingdom relinquish sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while securing continued use of the strategically critical UK-US military base on Diego Garcia through a long-term arrangement.
We recognise that this is a complex issue, with a difficult history. We also recognise the importance of providing long-term security for the base on Diego Garcia. However, we believe there are compelling reasons why the new Prime Minister and Government should now reconsider the proposed agreement.
First and foremost are the Chagossian people themselves.
The Chagossians were removed from their homeland generations ago. Yet they have never been given a meaningful opportunity to determine what should now happen to those islands.
The Chagossian community is not homogeneous and there are differing views about sovereignty, resettlement and the future of the islands. That makes consultation more important, not less. Decisions about the future of the Chagos Islands should not simply be reached between the British and Mauritian Governments while the people most directly affected remain on the sidelines.
Second, there is a credible alternative.
Many Chagossians wish to retain their connection with the United Kingdom and there is significant support for the possibility of resettlement. A fresh approach could examine the practical resettlement of Chagossians on the outer islands while maintaining the special security arrangements required for Diego Garcia. That would begin to address a profound historic injustice without requiring Britain to relinquish sovereignty over the entire archipelago.
Third, Diego Garcia is of exceptional strategic importance.
The base has played a critical role in British, American and allied security for decades. At a time of increasing geopolitical instability, we believe there should be an exceptionally high threshold before Britain voluntarily changes the sovereign status of territory containing such an important defence asset.
An arrangement which preserves British sovereignty provides certainty. Transferring sovereignty and then relying upon a complex long-term agreement to preserve our strategic position introduces risks which do not presently exist.
Fourth, the financial commitment is substantial and difficult to justify.
The proposed agreement would require very significant payments by the United Kingdom over many decades in order to maintain access to a military facility situated on islands over which Britain presently exercises sovereignty.
At a time when the Government faces difficult choices over defence, public services and the public finances, MPs are entitled to ask whether committing substantial sums to surrender sovereignty and then secure continued use of Diego Garcia represents the best use of public money.
Fifth, the decision has implications beyond Chagos.
The United Kingdom has repeatedly and rightly defended the principle that the people of its Overseas Territories should have a decisive voice over their own constitutional future. That principle matters in Gibraltar. It matters in the Falkland Islands. And it should matter when considering the future of Chagos.
The circumstances of each Territory are different, but Britain should be extremely cautious about establishing the impression that sovereignty over an Overseas Territory can be negotiated principally between governments without the people connected to that Territory being placed at the heart of the process.
There are important environmental considerations too. The Chagos Archipelago contains one of the world's most significant marine environments. Its future protection should form part of any reconsideration of the islands' long-term governance.
None of this requires the Government to ignore the difficult history of Chagos. Quite the opposite. Britain has an opportunity to confront that history in a way which gives Chagossians a meaningful voice, considers practical resettlement, protects Diego Garcia and preserves Britain's strategic interests. The change of Prime Minister provides an opportunity to take another look.
We therefore hope that Labour colleagues will encourage the Prime Minister and the Government not to proceed with the proposed transfer of sovereignty in its present form, and instead to consider a new settlement centred upon the Chagossian people, the security of Diego Garcia and a sustainable long-term future for the islands.
Friends of the British Overseas Territories would be very happy to provide further information or briefing to any Member interested in the issue, and we would particularly welcome opportunities to bring parliamentarians together with members of the Chagossian community so that their views can be heard directly. History rarely presents governments with the opportunity to correct a long-standing injustice while simultaneously strengthening the national interest. We believe Chagos may be one of those occasions.
Yours sincerely,
James Lunn
Chief Executive
Friends of the British Overseas Territories
Friends of the British Overseas Territories, Registered Charity No 1156763
Friends of the British Overseas Territories is an independent and politically neutral charity. We do not support or endorse any political party or candidate. Only authorised spokespersons may make statements on behalf of the charity, via the charity’s official communications channels. All views otherwise expressed by members or officers should be considered their own.
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You can write to us at: Friends of the British Overseas Territories, Po Box 2635, Ilford, IG1 8UA
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