Chagos islanders forced to leave homeland lose legal battle at UK court

Former residents of the Chagos Islands, who were forcibly removed from their homeland more than 40 years ago have lost their latest legal challenge at the UK’s highest court.

A year ago, they went to the Supreme Court to contest a 2008 decision by the House of Lords which dashed their hopes of returning to their native islands in the Indian Ocean.

Olivier Bancoult, the Chagossian leader who has been fighting in the courts on behalf of the islanders, argued majority ruling in favour of the foreign secretary should be set aside.