Late intervention blocks planned removals, energising Chagossian campaigners and deepening scrutiny of the government’s handling of the long-running dispute.

A dramatic late development has upended plans surrounding the Chagos Islands, with campaigners confirming that Chagossians cannot now be evicted from their homeland. The sudden halt has reignited a decades-old dispute and intensified political fallout in Westminster.

Supporters of the move have welcomed it as a major victory for justice, arguing it protects the rights of a community forcibly displaced from the archipelago in the 1960s and 1970s. For Chagossians and their allies, the intervention offers renewed hope that resettlement and recognition are finally within reach.

Critics, however, say the episode exposes deep flaws in how the proposed arrangements have been negotiated and communicated. Some have described the reversal as a setback for Labour leader Keir Starmer, questioning whether the opposition — and the government — have fully grasped the legal, moral and human consequences of the deal.

Government sources insist the situation remains legally and diplomatically complex, stressing that discussions involving sovereignty, international law and security interests are still ongoing.

With the future of the islands and their people once again in the spotlight, tensions are high. Whether this marks a genuine turning point or just another chapter in a long and painful saga remains to be seen.