Keir Starmer blasted over Chagos Islands in furious PMQs rant | Politics | News

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to stop the “ridiculous” Chagos Islands deal in a fiery PMQ moment. Conservative MP Lewis Cocking highlighted reports that military chiefs warned the Prime Minister about a £28bn defense funding black hole.

He told the Conservative House of Commons: “The world is getting more dangerous every day and the Ministry of Defense has said it needs an extra £28bn to keep us safe. Well, I know where the Prime Minister can find it. Stop this ridiculous Chagos Islands surrender policy and spend that money on protecting the UK.”

“Will the Prime Minister stick to this, or will he continue to put the interests of foreign governments and countries above ours?”

Sir Keir replied: “Diego Garcia is a vital military base with significant capabilities for our allies. It is essential to our security.”

“Our decision was welcomed by our allies, the Five Eyes, India and the United States.

“Our enemies, including Russia, opposed it, and now we can add the Conservatives to that list, and the Reform to that list. The Conservatives follow the Reform, the Reform follows Putin.”

It came at a time when the agreement that saw Britain hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius was subject to intense criticism.

The government signed an agreement in May last year; This means Britain will lease back the strategically important military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the remote Indian Ocean archipelago.

The deal follows long-running negotiations launched under the previous Tory administration following an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice in 2019 that said Britain should cede control.

As well as establishing a £40 million fund for Chagossians expelled from the islands, the UK agreed to pay Mauritius at least £120 million a year for the duration of the 99-year agreement; This means a total cost in cash of at least £13bn.

But while the Government estimates the bill will be lower (£101 million per year), opponents argue it will be much higher.