Tam Dalyell will ask question in parliament

The islanders won a High Court battle for the right to return home a year ago. But the Labour MP for Linlithgow told the BBC little has been done to help them.

He is going to ask in Parliament on Thursday if the Chagos people qualified for British citizenship, which he says they want "to give them status" and help them rebuild to their homeland.

The islanders were moved to Mauritius over 30 years ago so that the Americans could build a military base on one of the islands Diego Garcia.

'No defence'

Mr Dalyell, who campaigned to help them win back their homeland, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the defence of what happened back in 1965 was weak.

He said the returning islanders would need international help to rebuild the local infrastructure and reclaim their rightful home.

"Most of them do not want to come to live here but they want British citizenship to give them status," he said.

The Chagos people have named an island after Mr Dalyell to thank him for his support over the years.