UK and US ‘working together’ on Diego Garcia arrangements, No 10 says
It came after the Government postponed a parliamentary debate on its Chagos Islands deal.
Britain and the US are “continuing to work together” to ensure the future operation of the Diego Garcia military base, Downing Street has said after the Government postponed a parliamentary debate on its Chagos Islands deal.
No 10 insisted the UK remains “fully committed” to the agreement after the Conservatives tabled an amendment calling for a pause “in light of the changing geopolitical circumstances”.
Sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago would be handed to Mauritius through the deal, which came under fire from US President Donald Trump last week amid strained transatlantic relations despite previous support from the White House.
But Britain will lease back a military base on the island of Diego Garcia, which is jointly used with the US, for at least 99 years under the plans.
The Tory amendment calls for the Government to see that the agreement does not breach a 1966 treaty signed with America which confirms UK sovereignty of the islands.
It would also ensure ministers give the Chagossian people, banished from the islands in the 1960s and 1970s, a “formal” say over the deal.
Downing Street accused peers of “irresponsible” and “reckless” behaviour and said the timing for a rescheduled Lords debate on the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill would be set out “in the usual way”.
Asked about the postponement on Monday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “On the Lords debate, the Government remains fully committed to the deal to secure the joint UK US base on Diego Garcia, which is vital for our national security.
“The timing for the rescheduled debate on the Bill will be announced in the usual way. And this is irresponsible and reckless behaviour by peers whose roles are to check legislation not interfere with our national security priorities.”
No 10 refused to be drawn on whether the agreement was raised in Sir Keir’s call with the US president over the weekend, saying only that Britain and America would continue to work closely together.
“UK and US officials are continuing to work together to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place for the future operation of the base, as they have been for many months, and we will continue that work,” the official said.
Mr Trump on Tuesday called the deal an “act of great stupidity” as tensions between Europe and America flared over his threats to slap tariffs on nations opposed to his ambitions to take control of Greenland, which he has since rescinded.
A Labour source in the Lords said last week the US president’s remarks had no bearing on the decision to reschedule the Bill for another day.
They said: “It is simply a response to Tory peers having flexed their much greater numbers in the House by tabling a wrecking amendment to a Government Bill just hours before the end of business ahead of a scheduled debate on the next sitting day.”
The Chagos Bill is currently in the later stages of parliamentary scrutiny known as “ping pong”, where legislation is batted back and forth between the Commons and Lords until agreement is reached between the Houses.
