Misley Mandarin blasts 'disgusting' Labour over bid to remove Chagossians from British territory: 'Appalling!'

The self-appointed Chagossian First Minister has launched a scathing attack on the "disgusting" Labour Government over their bid to remove their settled community from the British territory.

Speaking to GB News from the Île du Coin, part of the Peros Banhos atoll, Misley Mandarin said the move by the UK Government is "appalling".

The group of Chagossians settled on the islands 150 days ago, vowing to establish a permanent settlement in their ancestral home.

In March, the UK Government suffered a major setback when the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Chagossians who had settled.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

However, the Government was back in the Court of Appeal today seeking to overturn the landmark ruling.

Delivering his verdict on the Government's appeal, Mr Mandarin told GB News: "This is 2026, and it's really appalling to see your tax payer money and your viewers as well, tax money being used against British Overseas Territories citizens to remove them from their homeland.

"And for me, it's really disgusting what this Labour Government is doing right now. Paying top lawyers to represent Government to remove Chagossians from our island, from British territory."

Mr Mandarin stressed that where the Chagossians have settled is more than "100 miles" from the Diego Garcia military base.

He said: "Where we are, we're about 130 miles away from the military base, and this is not our intention, to interfere with national security.

"And you see the hypocrisy, I just heard the Overseas Territories Minister Stephen Doughty saying to the Falkland Islands, he's behind them, he supports self-determination.

"What about the Chagossians? What about us? Are we humans?"

Criticising Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy, Mr Mandarin argued: "You've got lawyers like Keir Starmer and lawyers like David Lammy, they never take into account our rights, our self-determination.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Labour 'to plough on with shameful Chagos surrender deal' under Andy Burnham
• Keir Starmer's Chagos deal in chaos as human rights body takes on former human rights lawyer
• Chagos deal dismantled by ex-No10 adviser amid plans for Andy Burnham to 'push ahead': 'Insanity!'

"Are we human, the Chagossians, to this Labour Government? But we can fight to the end."

Remaining determined to remain on the island, Mr Mandarin told GB News that this is their "homeland" now.

He declared: "Basically, we're not going anywhere. This is my home, my dad's place of birth, and I'm willing to have more Chagossians born on the island. We are not going anywhere.

"We caught some octopuses the other day, we're catching fish and we're living the life."

Mr Mandarin criticised the Government's stance on their settlement further, taking issue with their argument about "cost".

He told GB News: "Yesterday, the Government argued saying that to resettle the Chagossians on British territory as British citizens is about cost.

"But if you see the deal, spending £35billion, giving away your tax money to Mauritius, the first country I like to China, this is there's no logic, is it?

"You spend that money toward British citizens that are Chagossians who are willing to keep the territory as British."

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter