Ben Habib picks apart 'complete surrender' of Chagos Islands in withering analysis - 'Will make the hairs on your neck stand up!'
GB News
The activists claim they have a right to live where they were born
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Campaigners who temporarily halted Sir Keir Starmer from signing a treaty to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands are debating returning to court.
The Prime Minister had agreed to give up control of the archipelago while leasing back the military base on Diego Garcia.
The announcement faced a delay after a High Court judge granted a last-minute injunction.
Mr Justice Goose initially blocked Starmer from signing the deal by granting "interim relief" to Bertrice Pompe, one of two Chagossian women pushing forward legal action.
Campaigners are considering taking Starmer back to court
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The legal challenge centred on claims that the islands' native population was not sufficiently consulted about the agreement.
The women argued they have a human right to return to live where they were born.
In an urgent hearing held just hours later, Mr Justice Chamberlain decided to discharge the injunction, allowing the Government to proceed with signing the deal.
Philip Rule KC, representing Pompe, made a last-minute attempt to delay the agreement by asking the judge to stay the effect of his ruling to permit an application to the Court of Appeal.
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The judge refused this request, stating: "The order is discharged from this point onwards. If you want to seek any further relief, you will have to go to the Court of Appeal."
Despite the setback, backers of the case have consulted senior lawyers to examine whether the treaty signing could be ruled "null and void".
A source close to the case said they were "exploring whether it is possible" to continue legal action.
The same source acknowledged that the treaty being signed had made it "extraordinarily difficult to proceed".
The legal challenge claimed the islands' native population was not sufficiently consulted about the agreement
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When organisers learned that a signing was imminent, they filed the case on Wednesday with support from the Great British Political Action Committee (GBPAC).
The GBPAC stated it had crowdfunded the legal action from individuals worried about Britain surrendering sovereignty over the Chagos Islands.
Parliament has now been presented with the treaty, and is expected to ratify it formally within a month.
Behind the scenes, a lobbying effort is being organised among Labour MPs to vote against the treaty.