The British House of Lords’ decision to remove the bill on transferring the Chagos Islands to Mauritius from its agenda has sparked widespread anger and discontent in Port Louis. On Friday evening, 23 January 2026, the House of Lords succeeded in forcing a suspension of debate on the bill, despite it having reached advanced stages in the legislative process.
The British Parliament had been expected to proceed with the remaining steps required to pass the bill. However, the sudden development in the House of Lords, which became evident on Saturday, overturned the political landscape and triggered angry reactions in Mauritius, which regards the Chagos issue as one of its most significant unresolved sovereignty disputes spanning decades.
In this context, Mauritius’s Attorney General, Gavin Glover—whose position is equivalent to that of Minister of Justice—expressed his surprise at the decision, describing it as “unexpected,” particularly given that the bill was nearing the final stages of the legislative process.
Glover stressed that removing the bill from the House of Lords’ agenda does not align with established parliamentary conventions in the United Kingdom. He explained that the traditional role of the House of Lords is to review legislation, scrutinize it, and improve its drafting, rather than obstruct laws that have already been approved twice by the House of Commons. He added that this move raises serious questions about the direction of the legislative process in a matter of such sensitivity.
On the other hand, British Conservatives justified their stance by arguing that the bill conflicts with a treaty signed in 1966 between the United States and the United Kingdom, which stipulates that the Chagos Archipelago should remain under British sovereignty. They consider this a legal obstacle to implementing any agreement with Mauritius.
For its part, the Mauritian authorities confirmed that communication channels remain open with the British Labour government, noting that political and diplomatic dialogue between the two sides is ongoing and expressing hope for a swift settlement that would bring this long-standing issue to an end.
This development comes as U.S. President Donald Trump described the treaty to transfer the Chagos Islands, on Tuesday 20 January, as a “grave mistake.”
The issue also carries added strategic significance due to Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, which hosts a highly important U.S. military base—an issue not directly addressed in the agreement.