Skip to main content
Banner image for Henry Smith

Henry Smith

Member of Parliament for Crawley

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • Westminster Reports
  • Video
  • Contact & Privacy Notice

Henry Smith MP speech in the House of Commons consideration of Lords Amendments debate on the Nationality & Borders Bill in support of amendment on the rights of the Chagossian community

  • Tweet
Tuesday, 22 March, 2022

Henry Smith MP (Crawley):

I rise to thank the Government sincerely for amendment 1, the Chagos nationality amendment. I particularly thank the Minister, the hon. Member for Corby (Tom Pursglove) for his comments earlier and his colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for Torbay (Kevin Foster), who is not currently in his place, for meeting me and engaging on the issue of Chagos nationality justice and finally, after many years of campaigning, seeing the matter resolved by this Government. I am truly appreciative.

I express my thanks to hon. Members across this House, both present and past, and present and past members of the other place for their work over many years on this important matter. I also do not forget the many members of the Chagos islands community: those visiting Parliament today, those across this country and those in other parts of the world. They have suffered an injustice of approximately half a century and the Government today have gone a significant way towards ensuring that those people who are descendants of British subjects rightly have the ability to apply for British overseas territories citizenship, and therefore ultimately British citizenship if they so wish.

In conclusion, I repeat my appreciation to the Government. The second campaign that continues for the Chagos islanders is a right of return to their homeland, but I promise the Home Office that I will tackle the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office with that one, and conclude my remarks by expressing my appreciation to Home Office Ministers and officials.

  • Speeches in Parliament

You may also be interested in

Chagos Islands

Crawley is home to a large Chagossian community and this is an issue I’ve consistently pursued since even before my election to Parliament in 2010. I’ll continue to pursue this cause with the Government.

Henry Smith MP Westminster Report - May 2022

Henry Smith MP Westminster Report - May 2022

Wednesday, 25 May, 2022

Henry Smith MP, May 2022 Bulletin.

News

  • Latest Bulletin

Keep up to date with Henry Smith MP's work for Crawley

Stay informed on this and other local issues.

The information you provide is used in accordance with our Data Collection and Use policy. By clicking this button you agree to your information being used in accordance with that policy.

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Reports
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News

Henry Smith Member of Parliament for Crawley

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Henry
  • Get a postal vote
  • Register to vote
Promoted by Henry Smith MP of the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
Copyright 2022 Henry Smith Member of Parliament for Crawley. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree