Falkland Islands

Debate between Baroness Winterton of Doncaster and Lord Spellar

Monday 7th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises an important point but, just to be clear, accession to the CPTPP is a matter for the member states themselves. We do not comment on individual applications for accession.

[Lord Spellar (Lab)]

My Lords, I commend the Minister for the forthright statement in support of the Falklands and the Falkland Islanders. But does she share my concern at the interview given last week on Radio 4’s “Today” by the noble Lord, Lord McDonald, the previous head of the Foreign Office, which indicated quite outrageously that, in effect, Britain should consider handing them over and gave arguments regarding how much money was being spent and whether the British public would wear that? This was extremely unhelpful. Can she dissociate the department from that?