The Labour government is to give up the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands and in return this will secure the long-term future of a military base.
Sir Keir Starmer’s government have reached an agreement with Mauritius over the British Indian Ocean Territory after negotiations commenced in 2022.
The US and UK military base will remain in Diego Garcia which is the largest of the Chagos Islands.
However, it has been claimed by the former Lichfield MP Michale Fabricant that “Mauritius never owned the Chagos.
The Conservatives has called Labour “weak” over the deal and Starmer has been accused “undermining our security” leaving British “allies exposed.”
Robert Jenrick raged, “It’s taken three months for (Sir Keir) Starmer to surrender Britain’s strategic interests. This is a dangerous capitulation that will hand our territory to an ally of Beijing.”
James Cleverly, a former foreign secretary, said, “Weak, weak, weak! Labour lied to get into office. Said they’d be whiter than white, said they wouldn’t put up taxes, said they’d stand up to the EU, said that they be patriotic. All lies!”
Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat said, “This is a shameful retreat undermining our security and leaving our allies exposed.”
Tugendhat blasted the Foreign Office has “negotiated against Britain’s interest” which is “disgraceful that these negotiations started under our watch…Lord Cameron rightly blocked them only to see it back under David Lammy’s complete failure of leadership.”
Andrew Rosindell, the Conservative MP for Romford, wrote on social media platform X: “This is a shameful betrayal by Labour.
“The right of self-determination of the Chagossian people has been disregarded. No territory of the Crown should be handed away without consent.
“The loyal people of all UK’s Overseas Territories will shudder at this announcement.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “This Government inherited a situation where the long-term, secure operation of the Diego Garcia military base was under threat, with contested sovereignty and ongoing legal challenges.
“Today’s agreement secures this vital military base for the future.
“It will strengthen our role in safeguarding global security, shut down any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to the UK, as well as guaranteeing our long-term relationship with Mauritius, a close Commonwealth partner.”
A Downing Street spokesman said, “The leaders began by welcoming the political agreement achieved today between the UK and Mauritius on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago after two years of negotiations.
“The Prime Minister reiterated the importance of reaching this deal to protect the continued operation of the UK/US military base on Diego Garcia.
“He underscored his steadfast duty to national and global security which underpinned the political agreement reached today.”
