Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Debate between Priti Patel and Lillian Jones

2nd reading
Tuesday 9th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Priti Patel]

I will now give way to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Lillian Jones).

[Lillian Jones (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab)]

Could the right hon. Lady tell me why the US and the Five Eyes have backed this deal?

[Priti Patel]

They have not gone on the record to say that they have. I have already made it quite clear why it is not in our interest.

It tells us something about Labour’s priorities that within days of coming into office, the Prime Minister met the then Prime Minister of Mauritius to commit to the surrender deal. Encouraged by the Prime Minister’s obsession with left-wing activism and distorted views of international law, and advised by one of the Prime Minister’s best friends and supporters—one could even say his cheerleader—Mauritius knew it was on to a winner negotiating with this naive, foolish and Britain-hating Labour Government. True to form, instead of standing up for Britain’s interests, Labour rushed to accept the advisory opinion of a foreign court that few had heard of, and swiftly agreed to Britain’s surrender of sovereignty.