Starmer to press ahead with Chagos Islands handover despite Trump criticism
Ministers say the deal is necessary because international court rulings on Mauritian sovereignty had threatened the future of the base.
The UK will press ahead with plans to hand the Chagos Islands and billions of pounds to Mauritius despite Donald Trump calling it a “act of great stupidity”.
The US president said ceding sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the Diego Garcia military base, to Mauritius was a sign of “total weakness” by the UK.
But No 10 insisted the US still supported the agreement, which is intended to provide a firm legal basis for the operation of the strategically important Diego Garcia facility.
Ministers have claimed the deal is necessary because international court rulings in favour of Mauritian claims to sovereignty had threatened the future of the base.
Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital U.S. Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.
“There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness.”
He highlighted the decision as a reason for his continued pursuit of Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark.
“The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”
Mr Trump’s criticism of the Chagos deal came as legislation to finalise the agreement is caught in a wrangle between the Lords and the Commons.
It caught No 10 off guard as Mr Trump had previously welcomed the agreement with Mauritius as a “monumental achievement” which the US viewed as securing the long-term future of the Diego Garcia facility.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told MPs on Tuesday: “We will, of course, have discussions with the administration in the coming days to remind them of the strength of this deal and how it secures the base.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Our position hasn’t changed on Diego Garcia or the treaty that has been signed.
“The US supports the deal and the president explicitly recognised its strength last year.”
Exactly a year after his inauguration, Mr Trump’s criticism of the UK’s policy came as Sir Keir sought to build a close relationship with the US president.
Opponents of the Chagos deal welcomed Mr Trump’s intervention, which they claimed could derail the agreement between the UK and Mauritius.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who over the weekend gave her backing to the Prime Minister’s Greenland stance, told broadcasters: “Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, Donald Trump is right on the Chagos deal.
“This is surrendering British territory with a strategic military base on it for no reason whatsoever. It weakens our country. It is not in the national interest. It is a good deal for China and Russia, and the worst part is we’re paying £35 billion of reparations to give away territory which we bought in the 1960s. That is wrong.”
She added: “President Trump has made some decisions which I agree with and others which I disagree with. What matters is what is in the British national interest. If President Trump does something that is great for us in the UK, I will agree. If he does things which are not good for the UK, I will disagree.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Mr Trump had “vetoed the surrender” of the Chagos islands”.
The Government signed a treaty last May to return sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, following long-running negotiations started under the previous Tory administration after a 2019 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice said the UK should cede control.
As well as establishing a £40 million fund for Chagossians expelled from the islands, the UK has agreed to pay Mauritius at least £120 million annually during the 99-year agreement, with the total cost in nominal terms set to reach around £35 billion.
Legislation to implement the treaty has been approved by MPs but faced a bruising ride in the House of Lords as peers extensively rewrote it.
Downing Street said the Government would seek to overturn the changes and ministers are determined to press ahead with the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, who is known to be close to Sir Keir, said he believed Mr Trump’s outburst was about Greenland, not the Chagos deal.
He told broadcasters: “I think what we saw last night was a series of posts criticising a number of world leaders. That may tell us that the president is frustrated right now.
“I don’t really believe this is about Chagos, I think it’s about Greenland, and the best way to resolve that is through dialogue with the Danish government, and that’s what we’ve said all along.”
