The last hope for the Chagos Islands: Calum Drysdale

Calum and Tom on:

• The historical background of the Chagos Archipelago, which became British territory after the Napoleonic Wars and later served as a crucial military base for the US and UK

• The forced expulsion of Chagossians from their homeland between 1967-1973, their subsequent compensation, and the ongoing legal battles over their right to return

• The international legal pressure on Britain through non-binding UN resolutions and how Mauritius has strategically leveraged international bodies to advance their claims

• Calum's pre-action letter challenging the government's deal as potentially unlawful and his arguments for why Parliament should have the final say

• Critical concerns about security implications, with fears that Chinese intelligence operations could compromise the strategic Diego Garcia military base

• Alternative visions for the islands' future, including as a space launch facility, tourism destination, or expanded British territory in the Indian Ocean

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Produced by Aeron Laffere.