Diego Garcia and British Indian Ocean Territory

Lord Redwood Excerpts

Thursday 26th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The noble Baroness will forgive me for not wanting to disclose in this forum the very detailed nature of the conversations we are having with the United States, but it is not for any of us here to tell each other what the best thing to do for the United States would be; it is up to them to talk to us privately at this stage about how we should be proceeding to secure the base.

[Lord Redwood (Con)]

Why do the Government think the international courts can make us give Diego Garcia away to Mauritius when there are very clear defence opt-outs from their jurisdictions in the relevant treaties?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

It is good to see the noble Lord here in his place—he has not been part of the discussions we have had up to now. If he had been, he might have found some useful exchanges across this Chamber on that very topic. We think there is a legal basis for the decisions we have made. Although noble Lords opposite may disagree with that, there is at least consistency in our position. I am genuinely fascinated by what the previous Government thought they were doing, negotiating around a dozen times, if, as they maintain now, they thought there was no legal jeopardy around the future of the base.