Starmer ‘withdraws Chagos Islands bill’ in face of Trump’s backlash over deal
Sir Keir Starmer has withdrawn the Chagos Islands bill in the face of US backlash to the deal, according to reports.
The legislation, which was due to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday, was postponed due to warnings that it could breach a treaty asserting US-UK sovereignty over the archipelago. Telegram reports.
The government later accused his colleagues of interfering with Britain’s national security in what it described as “irresponsible and reckless behaviour”.
The delay follows Donald Trump’s U-turn on the deal earlier this week. Just months after backing Britain’s plan to cede Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius, the US president criticized the move in a post on the Truth Social platform, calling it “an act of gross stupidity”. It comes as relations between Trump and Sir Keir deteriorated dramatically this week.
Following Trump’s criticism, the government faced a minor revolt in the House of Commons over the deal, as legislation to finalize the deal became contested between the upper and lower houses.
The legislation is intended to provide a solid legal basis for the operation of the strategically important Diego Garcia Military Base, which has been used by UK and US forces on the islands since its construction in the 1970s. Ministers claimed the agreement was necessary because international court rulings in favor of Mauritius’ sovereignty claims threatened the future of the facility.
The proposed deal would see Britain give up the territory and lease back the base; The Conservatives argued that the move would break the UK-US agreement signed in 1966, which preserved the UK’s sovereignty over the archipelago. Telegram.
With promised updates to the 1966 agreement yet to be implemented, the Conservatives tabled a motion in the Lords on Friday morning, demanding that ratification of the treaty be delayed for fear that doing so would breach international law.
Telegram He said legislation supporting the deal, which was scheduled to be sent to the upper house for further scrutiny on Monday, would no longer return there.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch told the newspaper that “the deal will not go forward until this issue is resolved”.
He added: “Throughout the Chagos debate Keir Starmer tried to hide behind the cloak of international law, now the Conservatives are revealing his shameful capitulation may be illegal.”
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “The British are happy to hand over sovereign territory and £35bn of taxpayers’ money to an ally of China, even if it is against international law.
“As a lawyer, he should know better. But his desire to appease Beijing clouds his judgment, as we saw this week in his decision to approve the super-ambassador of the Chinese espionage center.”
A government spokesman said Independent: “The Government remains fully committed to the agreement to secure the joint UK-US base at Diego Garcia, which is vital to our national security.
“This is irresponsible and reckless behavior by our colleagues whose job it is to control legislation and not interfere with our national security priorities.”
