'He has to go!' Chagossian leader calls on Keir Starmer to 'resign' over Chagos 'failure'

'He has to go!' Chagossian leader calls on Keir Starmer to 'resign' over Chagos 'failure'

WATCH NOW: Chagossian Lead at Friends of British Overseas Territories Vanessa Calou, fumes at Sir Keir Starmer's treatment of British citizens

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GB NEWS

Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 20/02/2026

- 16:44

Vanessa Calou's brother, father Michel and Misley Mandarin are part of the group who are currently settled on the islands

Sir Keir Starmer has been told to resign over his Chagos Islands "failure" by the Chagossian Lead at Friends of British Overseas Territories.

Speaking to GB News, Vanessa Calou demanded the Prime Minister "needs to go" and has "failed at his job".


Ms Calou's father and brother, Michel and Misley Mandarin, are part of the group who are currently settled on the Chagos Islands after travelling there in protest on Monday.

After being served removal papers by the British Border Patrol, a judge has filed an injunction to temporarily prevent their removal.

Telling GB News how "appalled" she is with how her father and brother have been treated by Labour, Ms Calou said: "My father, Michel Mandarin, he's indigenous of those islands and he has the human right to be there along with my brother, Misley Mandarin, who is the descendant, the first generation of a British citizen on this island and British overseas territory citizenship, and along with the two others who are descended of Chagossians.

"And they have the full right human right to be on that island as British overseas territory citizenship and British citizens."

She added: "'I'm so appalled and I'm so upset with the Government, how they behave with their own people, with British citizens.

"He's not listening to the British public here in the UK and he's continued with his agenda. He has carried out 14 U-turns that need to stop. Our people need to stop this Government in power."

Keir Starmer, Vanessa Calou

Vanessa Calou has called for Keir Starmer to 'go' over his Chagos Islands 'failure'

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PA / GB NEWS

Thanking everyone for their support of the Chagossian community, Ms Calou said the "injustice" against her people must be stopped.

She said: "We have now British citizens on a British Island that the Government want to remove. I will say thank you, and I'm so grateful to everyone who supports to donate to this cause to stop this injustice again from this Government in power.

"And a big thank you for James Tumbridge, who really works day and night, and everyone who is behind the support of the Chagossian people. It's clear to see that the British public want their rights to be respected."

Calling on the Prime Minister to "resign" as a result of the Chagos deal, Ms Calou stated: "The people voted this Government into power, and he's not doing his job. He's failing at his job, and he need to go.

Misley MandarinChagossian First Minister Misley Mandarin returned to the archipelago on Tuesday | GB NEWS

"Keir Starmer, you need to resign as soon as possible and let someone else do the job properly."

Celebrating the Chief Justice of the Indian Ocean Territory's decision to grant an injunction to block Mr Mandarin's removal from the island, Lawyer James Tumbridge said he is "grateful" for the support.

He told GB News: "I'm also running a judicial review for the Chagossians where we've been waiting four months, and thank you to your programme for covering that on Monday, where we haven't had an answer as to whether we can have a proper hearing to look at why they were never consulted.

"So this is huge, because now there's going to have to be a proper judicial look, and I'm very grateful to the Chief Justice of the Indian Ocean Territory for granting this injunction."

Vanessa Calou

Vanessa Calou told GB News the Prime Minister has 'failed at his job'

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GB NEWS

In a statement, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "This is nonsense.

"We've always been clear that if a long term deal was not reached, there was a risk of further litigation being brought rapidly, which could have serious implications for base operations.

"Instead, the Government acted decisively to address threats to the base's operations, to protect national security threats and safeguard our shared defence capabilities.

"The agreement we reached will secure the future of the base, ensuring that it can continue to operate securely for generations to come."

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