Hope you watched the programme on the Chagos islanders

(if you're in the UK, anyway!)

If you missed it, the short version is that in the 1960s, Britain threw the entire population, about two thousand people, off their group of islands in the Indian Ocean, so we could give lease the main island, Diego Garcia, to the Americans as a giant air base. And treated them badly ever since.

What it missed out was Robin Cook's attitude before Labour's victory in 1997 which resulted in him being in a position to do something about it. He was for justice for the islanders in opposition… but when in power, was happy to shit on them too.

(I know the main UK lawyer involved in fighting their case very well.)


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