The Chagos row is escalating today as five Reform MPs have written two separate letters to the Leader of the Commons Alan Campbell and Shadow Leader of the House of Lords Lord True, turning fire on both Labour and the Tories. There was procedural confusion in the Lords on Monday when some peers apparently tried to vote down the whole Chagos Bill, and the government is delaying the return of the Bill to the Commons…
Reform writes:
“Is the real reason for the Government’s refusal to give a new date for the consideration of Lords Amendments that they lost four votes in the Lords at Report Stage, and that they refused to give an extra day of Committee, because they knew more debate would jeopardise this disastrous deal?…Better still, given the sheer shambles which have been on display regarding this disastrous Bill, will the government now consider dropping this Bill until there has been proper consultation with the Chagossian community?”
Read both letters below:
Dear Lord True,
13 January 2026
We are writing to you regarding the path of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill (Chagos Bill) through Parliament. We have some grave concerns and feel that we need some questions urgently answered.Given it is supposedly Conservative Party policy to oppose this disastrous sell out of a Treaty, would you be able to clarify whether or not there was an intention from your Party whips to vote against the Bill at Third Reading in the House of Lords.
If not, then perhaps you would be able to explain why Baroness Goldie said, in relation to forcing the Bill to a division, “Lord True, and my Chief Whip, my noble friend Lady Williams of Trafford, are far less hot-headed than I am and infinitely more thoughtful and strategic in outlook. It is their view, which I accept, that, however wrong-headed and naive we think this treaty to be, voting down the Bill on Third Reading is not an appropriate way, in this instance, to proceed.”
The Chagos Bill was not part of the Labour Party’s 2024 general election manifesto, therefore the usual conventions, including the Salisbury-Addison convention, allowing the passage of government bills does not apply. The government cannot use the Parliament Act on this Bill, therefore, your House was well within its right to refuse a Third Reading – as would be consistent with Party policy.
Of course, what we do understand is that your Party started negotiations to give away the British Indian Ocean Territories whilst in government, and are complicit in the Labour government’s sellout of this key strategic military base as well as the Chagossian people.
The regret motion which was passed by the House of Lords means very little in the grand scheme of things, and a key opportunity to kill this Bill was missed.
We look forward to your timely response.
Yours sincerely
Nigel Farage MP Leader, Reform UK
Richard Tice MP Deputy Leader,
Lee Anderson MP
Sarah Pochin MP
Danny Kruger MP
The Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Campbell MP
Leader of the House of Commons
13 January 2026
Dear Sir Alan,
We are writing to you regarding the path of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill (Chagos Bill) through Parliament.
Your decision to change the business last minute today, which meant the debate on the Remaining Stages of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill was to be moved from tomorrow to Monday, meant that the Consideration of Lords Amendments to the Chagos Bill is now off the Order Paper and postponed indefinitely – your answer in the House of Commons today was less than satisfactory.
The shambles of the Chagos Bill in the House of Lords need answering too; a regret motion was passed by the other place, but then noble peers were prevented from voting on the Third Reading of the Bill, therefore allowing the Bill to pass back to the Commons for ping pong, despite very obvious discontent from peers.
Is the real reason for the Government’s refusal to give a new date for the consideration of Lords Amendments that they lost four votes in the Lords at Report Stage, and that they refused to give an extra day of Committee, because they knew more debate would jeopardise this disastrous deal?
Would you also be able to obtain an explanation from Baroness Pitkeathley as to why she refused to allow a division despite three shouts of ‘Not Content’ from peers representing all parties?
Better still, given the sheer shambles which have been on display regarding this disastrous Bill, will the government now consider dropping this Bill until there has been proper consultation with the Chagossian community?
Yours sincerely,
Nigel Farage MP Leader, Reform UK
Richard Tice MP Deputy Leader, Reform UK
Lee Anderson MP
Sarah Pochin MP
Danny Kruger MP
![Keith Ellison Caught Promising to Fight State Agencies for Somali Fraudsters [WATCH]](https://www.right2024.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Keith-Ellison-Caught-Promising-to-Fight-State-Agencies-for-Somali-350x250.jpg)
