Starmer surrenders British sovereignty over Chagos Islands to Mauritius...

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The UK has announced it is giving up sovereignty of a remote but strategically important cluster of islands in the Indian Ocean after more than half a century.

The deal – reached after years of negotiations - will see the UK hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a historic move.

This includes the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, used by the US government as a military base for its navy ships and long-range bomber aircraft.

The announcement, made in a joint statement by the UK and Mauritian Prime Ministers, ends decades of often fractious negotiations between the two countries.

The US-UK base will remain on Diego Garcia – a key factor enabling the deal to go forward at a time of growing geopolitical rivalries in the region between Western countries, India, and China.

The deal is still subject to finalisation of a treaty, but both sides have promised to complete it as quickly as possible.

"This is a seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law," the statement from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth read.

The leaders also said they were committed "to ensure the long-term, secure and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia which plays a vital role in regional and global security".

The treaty will also "address wrongs of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both parties to support the welfare of Chagossians".

The UK will provide a package of financial support to Mauritius, including annual payments and infrastructure investment.

Mauritius will also be able to begin a programme of resettlement on the Chagos Islands, but not on Diego Garcia.

The Chagos islanders themselves – some in Mauritius and the Seychelles, but others living in Crawley in Sussex – do not speak with one voice on the fate of their homeland.

Some are determined to return to live on the isolated islands, some are more focused on their rights and status in the UK, while others argue that the archipelago’s status should not be resolved by outsiders.

In recent years, the UK has faced rising diplomatic isolation over its claim to what it refers to as the British Indian Ocean Territory, with various United Nations bodies, including its top court and general assembly, overwhelmingly siding with Mauritius and demanding the UK surrender what some have called its "last colony in Africa".

But until very recently, the UK insisted that Mauritius itself had no legitimate claim to the islands.

Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat argued the deal had been "negotiated against Britain's interest" and it was "disgraceful" that such talks had begun under the previous Conservative government.

He called it a "shameful retreat" that leaves "allies exposed", while the former foreign secretary James Cleverly called it a "weak" deal.

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Argentina wants ‘full sovereignty’ of Falklands after return of Chagos Islands



Argentina has vowed to gain “full sovereignty” of the Falkland Islands after the UK gave up control of a remote archipelago in return for securing the future of a strategically important military base.

The country’s foreign minister, Diana Mondino, welcomed the step taken by Sir Keir Starmer’s Government on Thursday towards ending “outdated practices” after Britain returned the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

She promised “concrete action” to ensure that the Falklands – the British-controlled archipelago that Argentina calls the Malvinas and claims as its own – are handed to Buenos Aires.

In an intervention that will fuel rising Tory criticism of the UK-Mauritius agreement and its perceived implications for other overseas territories, Ms Mondino said: “The long dispute between Britain and Mauritius came to a conclusion today, with Mauritians successfully regaining their territory of Chagos.

“We welcome this step in the right direction and the end to outdated practices. Following the path we have already taken, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands.

“The Malvinas were, are and will always be Argentine.”

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Keir Starmer told his Chagos surrender is 'dead and buried' after Donald Trump's victory

A group fighting for the rights of Britain's overseas territories have written to Donald Trump's new cabinet members to demand they block the handover.

A group fighting to keep the Chagos Islands under British control have warned Sir Keir Starmer that his surrender plan is now “dead and buried” following Donald Trump’s election.

The Conservative Friends of Overseas Territories, who are fighting to reverse the Labour government’s giveaway, also says that this week’s crushing defeat for the incumbent Mauritian government further makes Sir Keir’s deal “as good as dead”.

They demand that the Government now “perform last rites” on its dreadful deal, as they write to President-elect Trump’s new top team to intervene and block its signing.

The President of the group, Lord Blencathra, said this morning he has expressed voters’ concerns in a letter to the incoming US National Security advisor, Mike Waltz, and the man believed to be on course to be the next foreign secretary Marco Rubio.

Lord Blencathra blasts: “Labour needs to read the room and ditch its disastrous surrender of the Chagos Islands given the results of elections in both Mauritius and the US. The Chagos deal is as good as dead.”

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Keir Starmer told his Chagos surrender is 'dead and buried' after Donald Trump's victory
A group fighting for the rights of Britain's overseas territories have written to Donald Trump's new cabinet members to demand they block the handover.
By Christian Calgie, Senior Political Correspondent
10:52, Wed, Nov 13, 2024 | UPDATED: 10:54, Wed, Nov 13, 2024
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Chagos Archipelago: UK to give up sovereignty of islands

A group fighting to keep the Chagos Islands under British control have warned Sir Keir Starmer that his surrender plan is now “dead and buried” following Donald Trump’s election.

The Conservative Friends of Overseas Territories, who are fighting to reverse the Labour government’s giveaway, also says that this week’s crushing defeat for the incumbent Mauritian government further makes Sir Keir’s deal “as good as dead”.

They demand that the Government now “perform last rites” on its dreadful deal, as they write to President-elect Trump’s new top team to intervene and block its signing.

The President of the group, Lord Blencathra, said this morning he has expressed voters’ concerns in a letter to the incoming US National Security advisor, Mike Waltz, and the man believed to be on course to be the next foreign secretary Marco Rubio.

Lord Blencathra blasts: “Labour needs to read the room and ditch its disastrous surrender of the Chagos Islands given the results of elections in both Mauritius and the US. The Chagos deal is as good as dead.”

READ MORE: Nigel Farage to raise Labour's disastrous Chagos Islands surrender with Trump

Donald Trump may kill Sir Keir's surrender treaty
Donald Trump may kill Sir Keir's surrender treaty (Image: Getty)

“Labour now needs to perform the last rites and put it out of its sorry existence.”

“If Labour ploughs on then it risks seriously damaging relations with our closest ally, the US, and incurring the wrath of the incoming administration that will impact a whole host of issues including defence, security and trade.

“I have today written to the incoming US National Security Advisor and Marco Rubio, likely to be the next US Secretary of State, who have already both raised their concerns, urging them to make clear to Labour that the incoming US government does not support the surrender of the Chagos Islands.

“Labour’s policy on Chagos has been a disaster from the start. It needs to ditch it and pronto.”

The demand comes after a major rally in East London last night, where Chagos Islanders warned that pushing ahead with the deal will signal that Labour is willing to abandon any overseas UK territory when me with left-wing international pressure - including the Falkland Islands.

Hundreds gathered in Hackney to call on the Government to not “suffocate our voice”.

Avraham Ono, who was born on the Chagos Islands but now lives in Tottenham, branded the move a “disaster” given “the island never belonged to Mauritius”.

“I don’t know why they did it in the first place. They never answer the question.”

Reform UK chairman, Zia Yusuf, told the rally that Nigel Farage will be raising the handover with Donald Trump, giving many hope given the Reform UK leader “has the ear” of the incoming president.

Campaigners against the islands’ surrender were delivered a boost earlier this week, when Donald Trump appointed Mike Waltz as his new National Security Advisor.

Mr Waltz, who will take up office in January, has previously opposed plans for the handover, writing to Joe Biden’s top team to oppose the deal.

He said: “Should the UK cede control of the Chagos to Mauritius, I have no doubt that China will take advantage of the resulting vacuum”.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1975437/keir-starmer-chagos-dead-buried?