Wikipedia

Friends of the British Overseas Territories

Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT) is a charitable organisation based in the United Kingdom that seeks to raise awareness of the fourteen British Overseas Territories (BOTs) by promoting their culture, history and bio-diversity. Activities are supported by regular fundraising activities and the backing of several prominent British politicians.

Friends of the British Overseas Territories
AbbreviationFOTBOT
Founded2013; 13 years ago (2013)
TypeCharitable organisation
Registration no.1156763 (England and Wales)[1]
FocusBritish Overseas Territories
Location
Region served
United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories
Chief Executive
James Lunn
Websitefotbot.org

Foundation and development

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The organisation was founded in 2013; initially as a vehicle to foster ties between the young people of the United Kingdom and the sparsely located British Overseas Territories (BOTs). These are a group of internally self-governing territories under the sovereignty of the UK.[2]

A 2015 report in the South Atlantic news agency MercoPress described Friends of the British Overseas Territories as having been founded mainly by students and other young people, noting that while it has charitable aims, it also hosts discussions on political issues affecting the British Overseas Territories. This includes organising fringe meetings at party political conferences.[3]

Political Views and Activity

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In The i, the charity expressed its disappointment that residents of BOTs, excluding Gibraltar, could not to vote in the EU referendum.[4] In The Times FOTBOT said that in discussions about registers of beneficial ownership in the BOTs the British Government was acting like "a colonial master again".[5] In 2026 FOTBOT reiterated its view that Overseas Territories should be allowed "to pursue their economic, social and cultural development” independently of the UK parliament.[6] The charity has opposed increases in remote gaming duty, claiming in the Daily Express that they would have a "devastating impact" on the Gibraltar economy.[7]

FOTBOT campaigns against the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. On GB News they were quoted as saying "they have been British since 1814 and we intend for them to remain that way".[8] In the Morning Star they were quoted as saying "we are working with a wide range of groups to unite against it.[9] In 2025 FOTBOT carried out a poll of Chagossian people on the future of the islands that was reported to the House of Lords by Lord Callanan.[10]

Several politicians have declared their support for the organisation, including Reform UK Member of Parliament Andrew Rosindell,[11][12][13] Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary, Priti Patel,[14][15] and Julia Reid, a Reform UK member and former UKIP Member of the European Parliament for the South West and Gibraltar.[16] In the House of Lords in 2024 Crossbencher Arlene Foster declared she was an advisor to FOTBOT.[17]

Outreach work

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FOTBOT has said that the UK and BOTs should work together to ensure compliance with international conventions and covenants but has criticised the UN's decolonisation process, saying that "there is no demand from any of the BOTS for a model of self-governance that would meet the UN's definition".[18]

In February 2025 it organised a visit to the Falkland Islands during which the delegation met local representatives, toured the Islands and hosted a reception.[19]

In 2026, FOTBOT facilitated a visit by the Government of Montserrat’s UK Office to Northern Ireland during St Patrick’s week, aimed at strengthening links with political, civic and academic stakeholders in Belfast.[20]

Youth Work

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Established originally as a youth organisation, FOTBOT oriented much of its early activities toward educating young people. This work has facilitated short excursions for British students to BOTs, as well as providing opportunities for students from the BOTs to visit other dependencies and study in the UK.[21] FOTBOT was partnered in a project headed by geographer Stewart McPherson, 'Treasure Islands', designed to "showcase the wildlife, cultures and history of all of the UK Overseas Territories" by dispersing educative materials across the UK.[22] Historically, at least two student unions, at the universities of Cambridge and Newcastle respectively, have been affiliated with membership societies seeking to further the objectives of FOTBOT.[23][24]

Other Activities

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As an organisation, FOTBOT host regular ticketed events that range from formal functions to round-table discussions surrounding the cultural and political situation of the BOTs; past committees have explored the possibility of BOT representation in the UK Parliament, as well as the challenges of day-to-day governance in British protectorates.[25][26]

References

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Citations

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  1. ↑ "Friends of the British Overseas Territories". UK Charity Commission. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "What's left of the British Empire (and how to visit it)". The Daily Telegraph. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ↑ "Should UK Overseas Territories have representation in Westminster?". MercoPress. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  4. ↑ Barker, Memphis (9 June 2016). "How Britain's Overseas Territories could vote in the EU referendum". The i. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Kennedy, Dominic (5 May 2018). "Keep your colonial nose out, British Virgin Islands warn". The Times. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Friends of the British Overseas Territories MPs' declaration on the Chagos sovereignty deal". The Chagos Files. Friends of the British Overseas Territories. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "Rachel Reeves Budget disaster as Gibraltar faces hundreds of millions in costs". Daily Express. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Donald Trump considers BUYING Chagos Islands in effort to crush Keir Starmer's surrender". GB News. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Over 700 Chagossians rally in Manchester against government deal with Mauritius". Morning Star. London: People's Press Printing Society. 27 April 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Lords. 18 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Key Conservative MP calls for British Overseas Territories to have UK parliamentary representation". Gibraltar Finance. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "UK parliamentarian repeats call for British Overseas Territories representation in Westminster". Caribbean News Now. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  13. ↑ "Andrew addresses Friends of the British Overseas Territories Annual Summer Reception". Conservative Party (UK). 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "Great to welcome Philip Smith and Robert Midgley of Friends of British Overseas Territories to my office, along with my friend The Rt. Hon. Priti Patel MP". Twitter. 21 March 2018.
  15. ↑ Quinn, Ben (16 June 2020). "Priti Patel linked with monument protection campaign organiser". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  16. ↑ "Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT) has awarded life membership to Dr Julia Reid". UK Independence Party (UKIP). 5 December 2016. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  17. ↑ "British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 842. House of Lords. 19 December 2024.
  18. ↑ "Written evidence from the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (SOT38)". Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  19. ↑ "Falklands: Friends of the British Overseas Territories planning to visit the Islands and discuss Chagos". MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Montserrat Strengthens Links with Northern Ireland During St Patrick's Week Visit". Discover Montserrat. 24 March 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "Friends of the British Overseas Territories Visit Charles Gomez & Co". Charles Gomez & Co. 2015. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  22. ↑ "Project". Britain's Treasure Islands. Retrieved 29 June 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  23. ↑ "Societies Executive Committees Meeting" (PDF). Newcastle University Students' Union. 4 December 2017. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  24. ↑ "Friends of the British Overseas Territories (Cambridge University)". Cambridge University Students' Union. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  25. ↑ "Should UK Overseas Territories have representation in Westminster?". MercoPress. 15 October 2015. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  26. ↑ "Tristan Representative gives FOTBOT Dinner Keynote Speech". Tristan da Cunha Government News Abroad. 19 December 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
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