Downing Street has denied that Starmer will surrender other overseas British Territories after returning the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
No10 today has scrambled to defend the Falkland Islands after Argentina attempted to reassert its claim over the territory.
In light of yesterday’s controversial move, Argentina renewed its vow to take full sovereignty of the Falklands, with its Foreign Minister threatening “concrete action” to hand the islands over to Buenos Aires.
However, No10 has hit back with a Downing Street spokesman telling GB News: “To be very clear on the Falklands, Chagos does not change our policy or approach to other overseas territories.”
The move prompted uproar – as well as finger-pointing at Labour and ex-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly – but also provoked fears over the sovereignty of fellow BOTs the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.
Argentina’s foreign minister Diana Mondino welcomed the Chagos decision – which she touted as an example of ending “outdated practices”.
In a post on social media, using the Spanish-language name for the Falklands, the “Islas Malvinas”, she said: “Following the path we have already taken, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Falkland Islands.
“The Falklands were, are and will always be Argentine,” she claimed.
Similar assurances to Downing Street’s were issued from the Falklands on Thursday.
The Islands’ Governor, Alison Blake, said: “I am aware that there may be concerns, either amongst the Falkland Islands community or others, of potential read across to the Falkland Islands.
“I would like to reassure you that the legal and historical contexts of the Chagos Archipelago and the Falkland Islands are very different.
“UK ministers have been very clear throughout the process that the UK will not agree to anything that runs the risk of jeopardising sovereignty in other Overseas Territories.
“The UK Government remains committed to defending the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination, and the UK’s unwavering commitment to defend UK sovereignty remains undiminished.”
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Source Agencies
