“Only the Falkland Islanders can and should decide their own future. Our position regarding the Falkland Islands is steadfast, and our commitment to defending the Falkland Islanders right to self-determination will not waiver.”
A message from Prime Minister Keir Starmer: It’s a real privilege to wish everyone in the Falkland Islands a very happy Christmas. It has been a year of change in the UK as we’ve brought in our new Government of service with that commitment to service extending to every one of you supporting your islands and the issues you care about, cheering you on in your successes and flying your flag proudly over Whitehall on Falklands Day.
“We are absolutely resolutely committed to the sovereignty and self-determination of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands,” said Stephen Doughty MP and Minister of State for the Overseas Territories on a question from a fellow Labour MP, Portsmouth North, Amanda Martin during the Wednesday Parliament session.
The recent deal between UK and the Republic of Mauritius on sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago, and the future of their people, has triggered the aspirations of nationalist groups in Spain and mainly in Argentina, claiming sovereignty over Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.
The UK Government has confirmed today (Thursday 3 October) that it has reached a political agreement on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. Today’s political agreement is subject to the finalisation of a treaty. Under the terms of this treaty the United Kingdom will agree that Mauritius is sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.
Richard Hyslop, the Falkland Islands Government Representative to the UK and Europe, attended the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday. This event marked the formal start of the UK Parliamentary year and was highlighted by His Royal Highness King Charles III delivering The King’s Speech, which outlined the new Government’s agenda, proposed policies, and legislation for the coming session.
“If you have to deny the existence of a people to make your argument work, your argument doesn’t work,” has been the public reply of Falkland Islands lawmaker MLA Teslyn Barkman to the piece of Argentina's foreign minister Diana Mondino addressed to Falkland Islanders, during this week's session of the Special Decolonization Committee, or C24, held at the United Nations, New York.
A group of elected assembly members from the Falkland Islands presented an address to the United Nations Special Committee on the situation regarding the implementation of the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples.
Britain is holding a general election next July 4 with the Conservatives in office since 2019, but also with a string of Prime Ministers in five years and much division among its lines, including the newly formed Reform party, while the opposition is dominated mainly by Labour and leader Keir Starmer.
Falkland Islands elected member of the Legislative Assembly, Mark Pollard speaking with the UK media insisted on the Islands' people right to self determination and even questioned that the Falklands ever belonged to Argentina.