Chagossians who launched a last-minute legal challenge that led to the halting of a deal to hand over the islands to Mauritius only discovered the agreement through GB News, it has emerged.
GB News Political Correspondent Katherine Forster said on the People’s Channel: “It’s quite extraordinary, the irony of a Prime Minister, a human rights lawyer, an injunction being granted on the grounds of the Government not taking account of the human rights of Chagossian people.
The Chagos IslandsFLICKR/PA“There was an out-of-hours hearing, an injunction which has stopped the Government signing this deal with Mauritius, supposed to happen at 9am this morning.
“In the High Court, we heard representing the Chagossian woman who brought this forward, Philip Rule KC told us that it is only because of a leak to journalists on Tuesday night that they found out the Government was about to sign off on this.
Chagossians spoke on GB News about why they are protesting as last-minute legal action sparks chaos
GB NEWS
“That story was reported by GB News. Our very own Charlie Peters on Tuesday night and into Tuesday morning.
“The lady that brought the case back in March needed legal aid and funding. Things sort of stalled.
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“Seeing this was about to happen brought things into action. The judge took a very dim view of judges having to work through the night but the lawyer representing the Chagossians is saying the Government is acting unlawfully.
“He says they are breaching the rights of the Chagossian people by doing this deal with Mauritius who never had ownership of the Chagos Islands.
“The Chagossians who were booted out of the country 60 years ago have not been included or consulted.
“The Government’s defence lawyer told us his instructions by Number 10 were they need a decision by one o’clock or the deal cannot be signed today.
Chagossians arrived outside the High Court to protest
GB NEWS
“We’ve just been told the court has risen and we will get that judgment. The Government’s line is, this is not a proper way to conduct legal proceedings and this is out of the remit of the judicial system.”
At 02.25 BST Justice Goose granted “interim relief” to two Chagossian women who had brought the case against the Foreign Office.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had been expected to attend a virtual signing ceremony with Mauritian government representatives on Thursday morning.
The deal would see the UK hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, but allow the UK and US to continue using the Diego Garcia military base located on the Ocean archipelago for an initial 99-year period.
Katherine Forster reported from outside the High Court
GB NEWS
The overnight legal action comes after GB News revealed that the deal was due to be signed virtually today.
But the deal is now set to go ahead of the UK High Court dismissed the last-ditch attempt to thwart the deal.
It could now be signed today after Justice Chamberlain deemed it legal.
Addressing the High Court, he said: "I have concluded that the stay granted by Mr Justice Goose should be discharged and there should be no further interim relief.
"The agreement can be concluded today and it does not necessarily have to be at 09.00."
