PM insists Labour won't give away Falklands following Chagos row

Sir Keir Starmer today insisted the Falklands will remain British under Labour as he hit back at Argentina's most recent threat to gain sovereignty of the islands.

The PM told the House of Commons the Falklands 'are British and will remain British' as he recalled how his uncle nearly died during the 1982 war over the archipelago.

'It's personal to me,' Sir Keir told MPs as he reiterated his Government's commitment to both the Falklands and Gibraltar, another of Britain's overseas territories.

Fresh fears have been raised over the future of the Falklands following the PM's decision to give up sovereignty of the strategically important Chagos Islands.

The Government last week announced it had struck an agreement to hand over what is also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius.

Sir Keir has defended the deal as being necessary to secure the rights of the UK and US to continue to operate a military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.

But the Tories slammed the PM for a 'dangerous capitulation' handing the islands to 'an ally' of China and questioned his stance on other British overseas territories.

Amid the furious row at Westminster, Argentina's foreign minister, Diana Mondino, vowed 'concrete action' to ensure the Falklands are handed to Buenos Aires.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon, Sir Keir pushed back at Argentina's sovereignty claim to what it calls Islas Malvinas.

He spoke in response to a question by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey over the impact of Brexit 'red tape' on the ability of Falklands fishermen to sell to the EU.

'My uncle nearly lost his life when his ship was torpedoed defending the Falklands,' the PM told the Commons.  

'They are British, and they will remain British. And sovereignty in Gibraltar is equally not to be negotiated.

'Of course we will do everything we can to make it easier for all businesses to trade more freely so that we can grow our economy.

'I've been very clear about the Falklands, it's personal to me.'

Sir Keir previously spoke about his uncle's experiences during the 1982 Falklands War in a general election campaign speech in June.

'My mum’s brother, my Uncle Roger, served in the Falklands on HMS Antelope,' he said earlier this year. 'And I remember the terrible wait when his ship was bombed.

'My mum’s fear as she sat by the radio every day, listening for news, and then the relief, a long week later, when we found out he had survived.

'So I know the courage, the service, and the sacrifice that allows us to sleep soundly at night from our forces and their families.'

HMS Antelope was attacked by Argentinian aircraft in May 1982 as she protected the entrance to San Carlos Bay – the focal point of UK efforts to liberate the Falklands.

The Type 21 frigate was hit by bombs that initially failed to explode. She sank the next day after one of the bombs detonated.