Downing Street accused of delaying give up of Chagos Islands over worry of MP backlash

Downing Street has been accused of delaying the give up of the Chagos Islands for worry of a backlash from Labour MPs.

Ministers declared originally of April {that a} debatable deal at hand the Indian Ocean territory to China best friend Mauritius used to be being finalised.

It used to be extensively concept there have been not more hurdles to transparent after Donald Trump mentioned he had no objections to the handover in spite of probably the most atolls, Diego Garcia, being house to a a very powerful Anglo-American army base.

Yet No 10 admitted the day prior to this that talks are nonetheless ongoing, amid suspicions that the general sign-off has been put again since the estimated £9billion ticket will turn out politically poisonous at a time when Labour MPs are being instructed to vote for enormous welfare cuts.

A supply instructed The Times: ‘They know that they’re going to be attacked by means of the Tories and Reform for giving up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands however it makes it a lot worse in the event that they’re additionally being attacked from their very own aspect.’

The Prime Minister’s spokesman mentioned: ‘The work continues to deliver a deal over the Diego Garcia military base.’

Last night time Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel mentioned: ‘When Labour negotiates, Britain loses. 

‘Labour are failing Britain and are not serving the national interest.’

Ministers declared originally of April {that a} debatable deal at hand the Chagos Islands (pictured) to China-ally Mauritius used to be being finalised

It used to be extensively concept there have been not more hurdles to transparent after Donald Trump (pictured) mentioned he had no objections to the handover in spite of probably the most atolls, Diego Garcia, being house to a a very powerful Anglo-American army base

Earlier this yr main Tory friends issued a pre-action felony letter towards the Foreign Office looking for a judicial assessment of the debatable proposed deal.

The crew, which integrated Lord Lilley, the previous Cabinet minister, Lord Kempsell, a former particular adviser to Boris Johnson, and Lord Roberts of Belgravia, the historian, claimed that the Government is appearing unlawfully by means of proposing to offer away British territory to Mauritius.

They argued that ministers shouldn’t have the prerogative energy to cede British territory to a international energy, that the price of round £8.9billion is illegitimate and that any regulation to underpin the deal is in keeping with an ‘erroneous’ figuring out of global legislation.

However, there’s a long-standing unwritten conference that the courts don’t get interested by international coverage choices, that means it’s not likely the judicial assessment shall be heard.

Some high-profile attorneys, together with former attorney-general Sir Michael Ellis, have prior to now warned that the proposed deal is fallacious and subsequently might be challenged within the courts.

Under the proposed treaty, Mauritius can be passed sovereignty of the archipelago.

The whole inhabitants of the Chagos islands have been forcibly got rid of by means of the United Kingdom between 1968 and 1973 to permit for a US army airbase at the greatest island, Diego Garcia. 

There at the moment are greater than 10,000 Chagossians unfold flippantly between Mauritius, the Seychelles and the United Kingdom.

In March 2025, two Chagos-born ladies introduced they have been bringing felony motion towards the Foreign Office so as to take a look at and stay the islands as a UK territory. 

Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who have been each born on Diego Garcia, the most important island of the Chagos Archipelago, introduced felony motion to contest the switch settlement between the 2 international locations.