The Falkland Islands‘ future in the UK is under threat after the Government’s decision to give up the Chagos Islands, a source close to the campaign for Conservative leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat has warned.
It has been confirmed that the UK will give up the Chagos Islands to Mauritius including the military base used by the US and UK on Diego Garcia.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the agreement secures the vital military base at Diego Garcia.
As Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the Falklands Islands, a source from within Mr Tugendhat’s campaign slammed Labour and accused them of “raising questions about the government’s commitment to the Falkland Islands.”
They told the Daily Express: “Labour’s decision to push forward the deal negotiated by James Cleverly to give up the Chagos Islands has raised questions about the government’s commitment to the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands are British. No debate. Full stop. Tom won’t trade away sovereignty.”
Other Conservatives have criticised the decision because they fear it will open the way for China to take over the military base there.
The UK Government has argued that the treaty will “address wrongs of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both parties to support the welfare” of those living in the Chagos Islands.
This comes as the UK also negotiates with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.
The two countries announced a pact last week that will see flights resumed on the islands, renewed negotiations on a humanitarian project plan, and plans for trips to allow relatives of fallen Falkland soldiers to visit their graves.
But Argentine Vice President, Victoria Villarruel, slammed the plan as “contrary to the interests of our nation”.
She added: “Do they take us for fools? They are getting material, concrete and immediate benefits, while they are offering us crumbs as emotional consolation and weakening our ability to negotiate.”
Speaking to the Daily Express, former head of the Royal Navy Admiral Lord Alan West has said the comments are “unhelpful.” Now a Labour peer, Lord West also served in the Falklands War.
He said: “I think it is unfortunate that the Vice President has said this. This pact being agreed upon and the work by their President was good stuff because it is moving towards the normalisation of relationships.
“The status of the Falkland Islands and islanders is not up for negotiation at all, and so it was very sensible that we move forward with the pact.
“I thought we were at long last moving away from the nonsense that the Falklands could somehow be taken back.
“It is unfortunate that the Vice President has said this, no doubt for political reasons because many in Argentina are still taught that the Falklands are the Malvinas and belong to Argentina.
“It doesn’t help when the people in the negotiations feel they can play fast and loose. For Argentina, they have enough problems as it is without creating other things that are unnecessary.”
Roger Spink, Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Stanley constituency in the Falkland Islands, also defended the pact between the UK and Argentina.
He said: “This agreement came after long discussions between the governments of the United Kingdom and Argentina – with the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly heavily involved throughout.
“All parties stand to gain from this cooperation. The humanitarian project to identify Argentine war dead in the Falklands offers an opportunity for closure for the families who lost loved ones. Sharing fisheries data enhances resource management in the South Atlantic, which benefits everyone in the region. The resumption of the São Paulo to Mount Pleasant flight offers substantial economic benefits.”