ARGY BARGY
Labour accused of stoking fresh Argentine grab for Falklands after “surrendering” Chagos Islands
Nigel Farage also accused Labour of making Gibraltar "vulnerable"
LABOUR has been accused of stoking a fresh Argentine grab for the Falklands after "surrendering" the Chagos Islands.
President Javier Milei wants to use Sir Keir Starmer’s recent handover to Mauritius as a template to get control of our South Atlantic territory.
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The populist firebrand said: “By that mechanism, we believe that in the long term the islands will become Argentine again.”
Downing Street last night stared down their latest attempt to claim the Falklands, which Britain went to war over in 1982 following an Argentine invasion.
The PM’s spokesman insisted: “The sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is not up for negotiation."
But critics blamed the controversial decision this month to relinquish the Chagos Islands to Mauritius - who had long disputed the UK’s position - as the trigger for Argentina's new bid.
Mark Francois, former Tory armed forces minister, told The Sun: “As night follows day, the surrendering of the Chagos Islands was always bound to embolden Argentina over the Falklands - but our Labour Government are just too daft to understand that. It’s a shambles.”
Reform leader Nigel Farage added: “Starmer has sold the pass. The Falklands and Gibraltar are now vulnerable. Total stupidity from Labour.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy recently declared a “new era of constructive cooperation” with Argentina.
It included sharing fishing stocks between Buenos Aires and the Falklands, and resuming flights from the country to the islands.
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No10 denied any similarities with the Chagos deal, which they called “a unique agreement based on its unique history and circumstances”.
Under the 99-year deal, Britain will give up sovereignty of the British Indian Overseas Territory but keep the joint-American airbase on Diego Garcia.
We will even pay Mauritius a fee that has not yet been disclosed by the Government.
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