Published On: Sat, Apr 6th, 2024

Lee Anderson slaps down Argentina’s Falklands warning | Politics | News


On Tuesday, Argentina’s president Javier Milei re-ignited the Falklands issue by insisting the disputed islands will “return to Argentine hands”. This sparked an uproar on the islands themselves as well as in Westminster.

Lee Anderson, the Reform Party MP, dismissed President Milei’s “harebrained scheme” and told the South American leader to “get a grip”. The former Tory MP told GB News that Britain would defend the islands again militarily “if push comes to shove”.

The Falklands, a contested archipelago known as Islas Malvinas in Argentina and the Falkland Islands in the UK, lie approximately 480 kilometres (298 miles) from mainland Argentina, which lays claim to them based on historical precedent.

Britain has consistently maintained its historical sovereignty over the islands and has rebuffed Argentina’s claim, citing a 2013 referendum in which Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly to remain British.

The territorial dispute, which erupted into a brief but bloody conflict in 1982 resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives on both sides, remains a contentious issue.

Mr Milei’s Falklands claim fell on ‘Malvinas Day’ in Argentina, which commemorates the 42nd anniversary of the start of the 1982 war – the day Argentine forces invaded the islands.

He told the nation: “I want to reiterate our unwavering claim for the islands, and I commit that during our government we will have a clear roadmap so that the Malvinas return to Argentine hands.

“This time, in my government, the claim for the Falklands is real and sincere, not like others who impose false words to beat their chests shouting patriotism.”

Mr Anderson responded bluntly: “He needs to get a grip, the land has been ours for what, hundreds of years. I mean, why does he want the island? There’s nothing there apart from a few hundred Brits and a load of penguins.

“I don’t know why he’s doing it, to be honest with you. We lost a lot of lives, nearly 300 men in the early 80s and it would be a travesty for it to happen again. He probably needs to sort the problems out in his own backyard before he starts poking his nose in ours.

“I would hate to see our young men and women going over to foreign lands to risk their lives. But it is a British colony. They’re British people on that island, and they deserve our support. If push comes to shove, we should defend them.”

During a visit to the Falklands in February, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said the UK would “protect and defend” the Falklands for as long as they “want to be part of the UK family”.

Mr Milei has previously been the object of national criticism himself after he admitted his deep admiration for Margaret Thatcher, who led Britain during the war.



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