Chagos Islands deal shelved by government after Trump calls it ‘act of great stupidity’

The government’s deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been shelved over Donald Trump’s opposition to it.

The agreement, which includes a plan to lease back the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia – the largest island in the remote Indian Ocean archipelago, has been criticised by the US president.

Trump initially supported the deal but later branded it an ‘act of great stupidity’ amid his dispute with Nato allies over Greenland and more recently during the Iran war.

Labour had hoped to pass a bill which would be key to the agreement going ahead but it was delayed as Trump kept changing his stance.

It is no longer expected to be included in the government’s forthcoming legislative plans.

A Government source told The Times that the agreement is ‘the best way to protect the long-term future of the base’ but they will not proceed without the backing of Mr Trump.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the agreement should now find its ‘rightful place – on the ash heap of history’.

The US administration had initially hailed the deal as a ‘monumental achievement’ but Trump subsequently lambasted it as an act of ‘total weakness’.

He then reversed his position, saying it was ‘the best’ deal Sir Keir could make before withdrawing support again.

In February, there was confusion over whether the Bill was going ahead, with Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer telling the Commons that the deal had been ‘paused’ although Government officials later said he misspoke.

Legislation enabling the handover has not appeared before Parliament since January 20 despite being in its final stages.

The Government has argued the deal is necessary to guarantee the future of the Diego Garcia base after an advisory International Court of Justice ruling in 2019 backed Mauritian claims to sovereignty over the islands.

Mrs Badenoch said: ‘If Keir Starmer’s Chagos surrender now finds its rightful place – on the ash heap of history – it will be because Conservatives led the fight against it from day one.

‘That it took so long is another damning indictment of a Prime Minister who fought to hand over British sovereign territory and pay £35 billion to use a crucial military base which was already ours.’

A government spokesperson said: ‘Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US.

‘Ensuring its long-term operational security is and will continue to be our priority – it is the entire reason for the deal.

‘We continue to believe the agreement is the best way to protect the long-term future of the base, but we have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support.

‘We are continuing to engage with the US and Mauritius.’

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