Andrew Griffith, the Member of Parliament for Arundel and South Downs, raised his concerns in the House of Commons on the transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Questioning the Foreign Secretary, Andrew Griffith raised the Islands’ special characteristics as one of the only locations in the world which can properly observe parts of space from Earth.
He also asked the Government what other alternative plans it has to protect Britain’s freedom and security. In his response, the Foreign Secretary said: “Foreign Secretaries do not comment on such capabilities, but the House will have heard the Honourable Gentleman’s remarks.”
Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago and is currently a British Indian Ocean Territory. It has been used as a joint UK-US military base since the 1970s and is used as facility to support British and American Armed Forces on operations in the Indian Ocean and monitor the southern hemisphere.
Last week, the Government agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, and it is said that American officials are privately expressing concerns that China may now construct a ‘spy base’ on the islands.
Commenting on the remarks he made in the House of Commons, Andrew Griffith MP said: “I am deeply frustrated that the Foreign Secretary failed to properly answer my question on this deeply important matter.
“My inbox is regularly filled with correspondence from constituents sharing their concerns about defence and security in what is an increasingly dangerous world. That includes the security of satellites in space where the British Indian Ocean Territories have a unique role.
“It is unacceptable that the Government decided to renege on its commitment to the global security of the UK. This decision raises real concerns about the Government’s plans for other British Overseas Territories or sovereign bases, including the Falkland Islands, Cyprus and Gibraltar.”
