Diego Garcia and British Indian Ocean Territory

Lord Carlile of Berriew Excerpts

Thursday 26th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Our plan is to proceed as I have said, which is to speak with our friends, allies, partner, close friend in Washington to establish a stable position. As I have said repeatedly—and it is good to know the noble Lord has been listening and counting so assiduously—it is true that this is all about securing the base for the United Kingdom and the United States to operate together.

[Lord Carlile of Berriew (CB)]

Does the Minister agree that the imperative about what happens to the base is the national security of our country, not only for those of us in our generation but for the generations to come in the next hundred years or so? Does she agree that noises off can be distracting and misleading and, at the end of the day, we have to make up our own minds?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We do need to make up our own minds and we have done so, but I do not think it is realistic to proceed in a way that does not involve the support of our allies in the United States who pay for the base and its operation, and with whom we work so closely. The noble Lord is right about noises off, and sometimes you do have to wonder about the motivation of some of those conducting themselves in that way.