Falkland Islands

Debate between Lord Swire and Baroness Winterton of Doncaster

Monday 7th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his welcome and for his support for our position. I reiterate again how important it is that there is a clear message from this House itself, so I welcome the political consensus that we have seen this afternoon and thank the noble Lord for his kind words.

[Lord Swire (Con)]

I also join in the congratulations to the noble Baroness on her recent appointment to the Front Bench. It is extremely important that, whatever we say in this country, we say it together. I think the remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, were unfortunate and an attempt to rewrite history. That is not what happened last time.

Would the noble Baroness consider calling in the Argentinian ambassador? I am all for not ratcheting this up, because it is purely electoral posturing by the President of Argentina, but would she take this opportunity to call in the Argentinian ambassador to make these points again: that the future of the Falkland Islands depends on the people of the Falkland Islands? As they remain British and wish to remain British, they will enjoy the full protection of this country and everything that that may mean.

At the same time, would she remind those who suggest that this is a transplanted population that there have been many generations of people living on those islands: far longer, perhaps, than the ancestors of the President of Argentina have been living in Argentina, having arrived from Calabria in 1926?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his welcome. The message that will be heard today from this House reiterates our position. Our position is clear: the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is non-negotiable as far as the UK Government are concerned. That is a clear message. I have every confidence that that message will have been heard.

General Election Campaign: Abuse and Intimidation

Debate between Lord Swire and Baroness Winterton of Doncaster

Thursday 14th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Sir Hugo Swire]

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Is it in order for the Opposition spokesman to make unfounded allegations against a former Member of this House, who is not here, without any warning and—to underscore what we are debating—to repeat unfounded allegations that she may or may not have read online or as reported in another paper?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

I think the hon. Lady was referring to reports, but I also think she was just about to give way to the right hon. Gentleman.