Falkland Islands

Debate between Baroness Hoey and Baroness Winterton of Doncaster

Monday 7th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question and I should say that I am always very reassured when the noble Lord from the Ministry of Defence is sitting next to me. I am very confident that Argentina understands the message that the UK Government and this House are sending. The Foreign Secretary posted on X:

“The UK’s position on the Falkland Islands is unwavering. The Islands are British and will remain so because that is the overwhelming position of the Islanders. Their right of self-determination is paramount, grounded in international law and we will resolutely uphold it”.


I touched previously on the defensive forces that we have in the area, but I hope the noble Lord will understand that I do not want to enter into hypothetical discussions.

[Baroness Hoey (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, I welcome the noble Baroness to her position and the unanimity of the House on this issue. Argentina obviously has a lot of international support for its claim, which worries me. If a UN advisory council committee were to say that the Falklands were actually Argentinian, would we then do exactly as we have with the Chagos Islands and say that that has to be complied with?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

Our position is clear, as I have said. When it comes to raising this issue in international fora, I should say that my noble friend Lord Collins attended the Organization of American States on 24 June to provide a right of reply on the Falkland Islands on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, asserting UK sovereignty over the islands and their right of the islanders to choose their own future. We use those opportunities, at international level, to make our position absolutely clear.