The Guardian columnist: UK should negotiate with Argentina over Falklands

Simon Jenkins, a columnist for The Guardian, argued in a recent piece that the United Kingdom should negotiate with Argentina regarding the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. Jenkins supported his position by drawing a parallel to the recent agreement between London and Spain to eliminate the land border in Gibraltar.

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None of Britain's imperial-era territories have an eternal right to remain as they are, let alone one that costs British taxpayers more than £60 million a year in defense costs.

The journalist linked the dialogue between these European nations to a flag displayed during the 2026 World Cup semifinal match between Argentina and England, which read "Las Malvinas son argentinas" (The Malvinas are Argentine). He stated that "None of Britain's imperial-era territories have an eternal right to remain as they are, let alone one that costs British taxpayers more than £60 million a year in defense costs."

Jenkins referenced the agreement signed by the European Union and the United Kingdom that eliminated border controls between Spain and Gibraltar, six years after Britain's exit from the bloc. He also recalled that successive administrations have upheld the archipelago's status as an overseas territory since the 1982 conflict. He wrote, "In truth, I suspect this has a lot to do with the fact that the islanders, unlike the abandoned Hong Kongers or the inhabitants of Diego Garcia, were white Britons."

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In truth, I suspect this has a lot to do with the fact that the islanders, unlike the abandoned Hong Kongers or the inhabitants of Diego Garcia, were white Britons.

Furthermore, he asserted that the war "rescued Margaret Thatcher's administration from unpopularity" and that prior to the armed conflict, London authorities were engaged in discussions on the matter. "What is forgotten is that, before the war, British governments were actually negotiating a transfer of sovereignty of the islands with the Argentines," he pointed out. According to Jenkins, these discussions stemmed from a 1971 communications pact that facilitated travel, trade, and the use of medical services on the adjacent continent. He noted that this understanding allowed islanders to trade and travel to the mainland, using its hospitals and shops, and even offered scholarships at local schools. "Hundreds of Argentines used to visit the capital of the Malvinas, Puerto Stanley, as tourists. The islanders were gradually developing sensible relations with their coastal neighbors, from which a future agreement was expected to emerge," he added.

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What is forgotten is that, before the war, British governments were actually negotiating a transfer of sovereignty of the islands with the Argentines.

Jenkins associated this process with the international context of the time, when the United Nations encouraged decolonization. "For Britain, it was ridiculous for a European state to fund a large navy to defend distant and disputed lands," he stated, referring to the period before the war when British governments were reportedly negotiating a transfer of sovereignty.

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For Britain, it was ridiculous for a European state to fund a large navy to defend distant and disputed lands.