Minister weighs in on Keir Starmer’s drink preferences amid Chagos Islands deal
The controversial transfer of the UK’s Chagos Islands to Mauritius has sparked a political row in Westminster, prompting a foreign secretary to weigh in on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s drinking preferences.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington has responded to mockery amid ongoing criticism of her transfer deal, saying she has never seen the Labor leader consume sparkling white wine.
The government is accused of bowing to pressure from “left-wing lawyers and activists” over the deal, which opponents condemned as “betrayal”.
The escalating political dispute has also raised questions about the involvement of Attorney-General Lord Hermer and Sir Keir’s friend and former colleague Philippe Sands, who served as legal adviser in Mauritius’ dispute with the United Kingdom.
In May, the government signed an agreement to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius; This will also enable Britain to lease back its strategically important military base in Diego Garcia.
The move 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 over the 99-year agreement; This means a total cost of at least £13 billion in cash.
But while the Government estimates the bill will be lower by around £101 million a year, critics suggest it will be much higher.
The Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill, which is necessary to implement the agreement, has already been approved by MPs but faces a tedious process in the House of Lords.
Condemning the deal, Conservative Lord Fuller argued that it would lead Britain to give up billions of pounds of land and allow Mauritius to “cover its streets with gold”.
He said: “To govern is to choose. The Prime Minister has made a choice: to stand with his educated, prosecco-drinking friends in north London, against the wishes of the plain-talking, run-of-the-mill caucus in his own larger party, and against the wider interests of the British people and our relatives in the Chagos.”
“This is a bad bill and we must fight it as best we can.”
Lady Chapman said in response: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Prime Minister drink prosecco; I think he would prefer a pint.”
He went on to describe Lord Fuller’s comments as “nonsense”.
