Greenland: Proposed US Tariffs

Baroness Hoey Excerpts

Monday 19th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I appreciate that the noble Baroness takes a strong personal interest, for reasons that I understand, in what happens in Denmark and Greenland. I do not think it helps anybody to speculate about what we would do if certain things were to happen. I must also thank, as I should have done in my initial remarks, the leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, for the support that she has given to the Government in regard to the position we have taken this morning.

[Baroness Hoey (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, the Prime Minister has said that Greenlanders must have a say in what is happening, and I fully accept that. What is the difference between this and not allowing the Chagossians to have any say at all in us buying and selling off the Chagos Islands and paying for the pleasure of sending them to Mauritius?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

As I think we examined at length through the progress of the Bill, the right to self-determination is not something that you can claim for yourself; it is something that can be legally determined. When this question was tested before every court which has considered it so far, including here in the UK—we can all have our own personal feelings and emotions and reaction to this, as I know I do—the legal situation was found to be that Chagossians do not have the right of self-determination as regards to the Chagos Archipelago. Greenlanders have the right to self-determination and we respect that right. What happens to Greenland is a question for it and for the Kingdom of Denmark.