Time is running out, and we are not waiting quietly. A campaign fronted by British Chagossian Misley Mandarin, supported by the Great British PAC and our Chairman Ben Habib, is racing the clock to block the ratification of what we regard as one of the most shameful and strategically reckless treaties in modern British history.
We are asking the British public to donate so that we can protect Misley Mandarin from Government reprisals, and so that a legal challenge can lay bare the Government's unlawful conduct before Parliament votes on this £30+ billion treaty.
You can donate here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/savechagos
Within a matter of weeks, Parliament will be asked to vote on handing the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. At stake is a vital UK military stronghold in the Indian Ocean, together with a financial liability of more than £30 billion that will fall on British taxpayers.
The agreement is signed, but it is not yet ratified
Although the deal was struck in secret and escaped any proper public or Parliamentary scrutiny, ratification has not yet happened. That leaves one last opening: to bring a Judicial Review, to expose the unlawful and discriminatory process that produced the agreement, and to put the facts in front of MPs before they cast their votes.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has insisted that China opposed the deal. Yet credible reports now indicate that Beijing actually welcomes the treaty, which raises serious national security concerns. All the while, British MPs, the press and the public were left in the dark.
“This is not just a treaty. It’s a national betrayal — done behind closed doors and without a democratic mandate,” says Great British PAC Chairman Ben Habib. “But it’s not too late to stop it.”
“This is a test of whether our Government is accountable to the law, and whether Parliament has the facts it needs to do the right thing.”
Courage on the frontline
At considerable personal risk, Misley Mandarin has put himself forward as the face of this legal fight, determined to hold the Government to account over what he describes as an “undemocratic and racially discriminatory” treaty.
“We were evicted from our homeland by a past Labour government. Now the current Labour government is doing something even worse — stripping us of our right to self-determination,” says Mandarin.
“We deserve justice. We will not be silenced.”
Ben Habib frames it in the same terms. “This isn’t just about a patch of territory,” he says. “This is about honour, justice, and the rule of law. Misley has shown incredible courage — now, we must stand behind him.”
Why this legal action matters
The courts are unlikely to strike the treaty down outright, but they can rule that the Government acted unlawfully. A judgment of that kind would be politically explosive, even against a Labour majority of 170 seats, and could compel MPs to think again before ratifying a deal that is:
- Legally flawed
- Morally indefensible
- Politically toxic
What’s at stake
- The loss of a vital strategic UK territory, undermining national security.
- A £30 billion+ payout to Mauritius with no democratic mandate.
- The betrayal of the Chagossian people, especially non-Mauritian descendants, who were never properly consulted and may now be permanently cut off from their homeland.
- Potential damage to one of the most protected marine environments on Earth.
The legal case: urgent, strong, strategic
Our legal team, which includes a leading King’s Counsel, considers there is a strong case for judicial review on a number of grounds:
- Failure to consult the Chagossian community prior to negotiations or agreement.
- Irrationality in disregarding key human rights, cultural heritage, and community views.
- Breach of the Equality Act 2010, particularly regarding non-Mauritian Chagossians in the UK.
- Discrimination based on race, nationality, or ethnicity.
- Procedural unfairness, including failure to conduct a proper survey of affected individuals.
- Misinterpretation of international law, wrongly claiming the UK could not include protections for Chagossians in the treaty.
This is far more than a technical objection — it goes to constitutional accountability and basic justice.
Why we need you now
To be heard before the Parliamentary vote, the legal team must file this action without delay. Should we miss this narrow window, the harm will be permanent and irreversible.
Claire Bullivant, CEO of Great British PAC, says: “Thanks to a generous donor, our Chairman Ben Habib, and our loyal patrons, we’ve already raised the funds needed to launch the Judicial Review and cover legal fees. But we now urgently need to raise a further £20,000 from the Great British public to underwrite and protect the case — ensuring our brave client, Misley Mandarin, is shielded from potential Government cost claims. The fact that it’s the British people stepping up to protect Misley is deeply poignant. This fight belongs to all of us — we’re in it together.”
Whether you give £10 or £1,000, every single pound helps defend British democracy and the Chagossian people.
Donate now: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/savechagos
For media or donor enquiries, please contact: claire.bullivant@greatbritishpac.com
This is more than a court case — it’s a fight for our future. Stand with Misley. Stand with justice. Stop the Chagos Betrayal.