Commons was misled over Chagos, claims Labour MP

Lammy made statements that 'do not appear to be true'

- MILLIE COOKE

David Lammy has been accused of misleading the House of Commons over the crumbling Chagos deal by a member of his own party.

The government’s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands – including the UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia – to Mauritius has been plagued by issues since it was announced in October, with concerns Donald Trump could veto the deal and the new Mauritian government demanding further concessions from Britain. But now there also appears to be growing discontent from within Labour itself.

Speaking at a meeting at Portcullis House for MPs to engage with indigenous Chagossian people, Peter Lamb, Labour MP for Crawley, claimed there is “certainly evidence” that statements made in the Commons by the foreign secretary “do not appear to be true”, referencing claims that the government has engaged with the Chagossians throughout the process of striking a deal.

The comments made by Mr Lamb – whose constituency is home to the largest community of Chagossians in the UK – highlight the fractious state of relations over the deal, the future of which is becoming increasingly uncertain. On 7 October last year, the foreign secretary told the House of Commons: “Of course we kept the Chagossians informed all along the way.”

Chagossian Voices – a campaign group representing indigenous people originating from the islands – said they have not met with Mr Lammy, and that Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty, who has met with the group twice since the deal was agreed, refused to discuss the negotiations.