During the latest meeting of the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary group several new members were welcomed and as ever political and legal developments relevant to the islands and their people were discussed by all present. Thanks to Coordinator David Snoxell for the below summary. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-party Parliamentary Group held its 77th meeting on 4 March. New members Lord McConnell (a former First Minister of Scotland), Baroness Lister, Lord Judd (former F

The Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group has reformed for the next Parliament. Below the latest appointments are listed and a summary of their first meeting is provided. Thanks to David Snoxell, who continues as the group's voluntary coordinator, for the below summary. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-party Parliamentary Group held its 76th meeting and first meeting of the new Parliament on 29 January. The following officers were re-elected: Hon President, Jeremy Corbyn

Three MPs, all members of the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), have completed a UK government supported trip to the Chagos Islands. MPs Catherine West, Daniel Kawczynski and the group's Chairperson Andrew Rosindell joined the four-day trip, which was reportedly organised at late notice.They visited Diego Garcia and other formerly populated islands including Peros Banhos. Catherine West, a long-term supporter of the Chagossian cause who formerly served as a

Thanks are due as ever to David Snoxell, coordinator of the Chagos Islands All-Party Group, for the below summary of the group's latest meeting. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG held its 74th meeting on 22 May 2019 which coincided with the debate in the UNGA on the draft resolution concerning the Advisory Opinion (AO) of the ICJ. It had earlier been decided that a meeting with Lord Ahmad would be more informed after the debate and vote on the resolution was known. The Minister

The UK government has confirmed that it does not agree with the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) verdict in the recent Chagos Islands case, brought by the Mauritian government. In a written statement issued to Parliament on 30 April, Foreign Office Ministers Sir Alan Duncan and Lord Ahmed told the House of Commons and House of Lords respectively that Ministers "do not recognise" Mauritius' sovereignty claim over the Chagos Islands. The Ministers emphasised again that th

Thanks as ever to David Snoxell, coordinator of the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group, for the below summary of the group's latest meeting. Issues discussed include the recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict, future legal challenges and the government's response to renewed questioning. UK Chagos Support Association also extends our welcome to the three new members of the All-Party Group: Liberal Democrat Tom Brake, Labour MP John Groganm Conservative M

Thanks are due to the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group coordinator David Snoxell for the below summary. Special welcome to the two new members confirmed at this month's meeting, Lord Carrington and John Grogan MP. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG held its 72nd meeting on 13 February 2019. Members took note of Henry Smith's interventions concerning British citizenship for descendants of those born on the Chagos Islands in recent debates on Immigration and the Windru

The Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group formed ten years ago this month. To mark the occasion, they have released a new statement stating their aims for building a better future for the Chagos Islands and the Chagos Islanders. Their statement is published in full below. A decade since the establishment of the Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group - breaking the political impasse The Group was convened by Lord Avebury and held its inaugural meeting on 16

Thanks are due to Chagos Islands All-Party Group coordinator David Snoxell for the below summary. The Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group is a collection of MPs and peers from all political parties who come together to work on issues related to the Chagos Islands and the rights of the Chagossian people. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group held its 71st meeting on 12 December. Lord Horam (Conservative) was welcomed as a new member. There are curren

The Chagos Islands All-Party Group is a collection of MPs in the UK Parliament who come together to discuss issues around the Chagos Islands. They back the Chagossian people's fight for justice. Their latest meeting is summarised below by the group's Coordinator David Snoxell. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group held its 70th meeting on 10 October. Members took note of the PQs answered since the last meeting in June and interventions by MPs concerning a ra

Last week the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group released a statement calling for a compromise to end the fifty years of unjustifiable Chagossian exile. Below is the statement in full. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group held its tenth AGM and 69th meeting on 13 June 2018. The stated purpose of the Group, established in December 2008, is to help bring about a resolution of the issues concerning the future of the Chagos Islanders and the Chagos Is

The Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group held it's latest meeting this week. Thanks as ever are due to Coordinator David Snoxell for providing the below summary of the group's discussion. The meeting also served as the Group's Annual General Meeting (AGM) and will be the last before Parliament's summer recess. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group held its tenth AGM and 69th meeting on 13 June. Jeremy Corbyn was re-elected Hon President; Andrew Rosin

This week the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group was addressed a special guest speaker at their regular meeting: the Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The below coordinator's summary is the meeting is as ever provided by David Snoxell, the coordinator of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Chagos Islands. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group held its 68th meeting on 16 April. At its invitation the Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth

Thanks as ever are due to David Snoxell, Coordinator of the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group, for the below summary of the group's latest meeting. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group held its 67th meeting on 21 March. The Group discussed Henry Smith's BIOT (Citizenship) Bill which had been down for second reading on 16 March but was postponed until 27 April for lack of time. Members re-iterated their support for the bill and resolved to continu

The Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group recently held their latest meeting, where they discussed the recent Chagos Citizenship Bill, upcoming legal action and future plans to raise the issue of the Chagos Islands in relevant forums. Thanks as ever are due to Group Coordinator David Snoxell for providing the below summary. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG held its 66th meeting on 31 January. Members discussed Henry Smith's BIOT (Citizenship) Bill which he had introduced

Watch Henry Smith MP's speech in full here: 12.31 http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/98024bf1-c1bb-46ba-a26a-701142587345 Or read it here in Hansard: https://goo.gl/uWhdYx Today, Henry Smith passed a motion in parliament which, if passed, will allow descendants of native Chagossians to receive British Overseas Territory Citizenship (BOTC) status. Prior to this, the overly complex and unfair nationality law made it difficult for second and later generations born in exile

Thanks are due as ever to group coordinator David Snoxell for the following summary of the latest meeting of the All-Party Group on the Chagos Islands. Members took note of the answer to Patrick Grady's PQ on 23 October. The accuracy of the Answer was questioned by the Coordinator. They also noted the intervention by Peter Grant MP in the budget debate of 27 November in which he described the deportation of the Chagossians as ethnic cleansing and abduction and asked what acco

Below is the latest meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Chagos Islands, the first since the election. As ever thanks are due to the group's coordinator David Snoxell for providing this summary. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG held its 64th meeting on 18 October prior to meeting with the new FCO Minister for the OTs, Lord Ahmad and officials. New members, Baroness Hooper, Lord Northbrook and Baroness Smith were welcomed. Efforts would be made to contact former m

This month Chagossian supporters have been raising the fight for justice in Parliament. Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary group member and shadow Labour Education Minister Mike Kane asked Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson about Chagossians future following the recent UN vote on the Chagos Islands. The UN General Assembly voted to refer the UK to the International Court of Justice over a sovereignty dispute over the Chagos Islands with Mauritius. Mr Kane urged the Foreign S

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Chagos Islands has held it's first meeting since the General Election. As it was the first meeting in this Parliamentary term, the group began the meeting by electing it's committee. The below summary is is provided as ever by the group's reappointed voluntary coordinator, David Snoxell. We pay tribute to the work of all APPG members, including those who lost their seat at this election. Paul Monaghan, Danny Kinahan and Mark Durkan wer