these are the chagos islands, tiny and remote, but now the subject of an increasingly bitter tug—of—wars and, years ago, cut a secret deal to allow america to use the biggest island, diego garcia, as a military airbase. but earlier this year, the united nations's top court said the uk had no right to keep hold of chagos, that it was violating international law and, in may, the un general assembly voted overwhelmingly to give britain a six—month deadline to hand the islands over to mauritius. today, britain's response was short and defiant. the foreign office said, "the british indian 0cean territory", as the chagos islands are officially known, "has been under british sovereignty since 1814 and the uk does not recognise mauritius‘ claim the islands". but this morning, the labour leader, jeremy corbyn, flatly contradicted that, saying that if he becomes prime minister he will hand the islands back to mauritius. yes, absolutely, i have been involved in the chagos campaign for a very long time. what happened to the chagos islanders was utterly disgraceful, forcibly removed from their own i