Keir Starmer in huge Chagos Islands deal U-turn after furious Trump backlash | Politics | News
Keir Starmer’s plans for the Chagos Islands have been heavily criticized by Donald Trump (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to make a dramatic U-turn on the Chagos Islands bill following a furious response from Donald Trump.
Legislation that would transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius was due to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday, but was postponed on Friday after the Conservatives warned the deal could breach a 1966 agreement with the United States. The Conservative Party tabled a motion in the House of Lords on Friday morning to delay ratifying the agreement so that it would be possible to conclude discussions and avoid violating international law. Telegram.
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Conservative colleague Daniel Hannan said the delay provided “breathing room”. He said that if Trump did not change his mind, “the deal would be cancelled” and that it was “humiliating” for the UK that the final decision was in the hands of the US.
“We should have put an end to this whole thing ourselves. Still, for the first time in 14 months, I’m starting to think we can win,” he said. Daily Mail.
Kemi Badenoch has previously expressed disapproval of the plans, calling it a “terrible policy” and saying the US President’s comments were “correct”.
Donald Trump sent shockwaves through the Labor Party after saying on Truth Social on January 20 that the deal would be “a HUGE act of stupidity”.
The Chagos Islands deal would see the UK hand back sovereignty to the archipelago and lease back the Diego Garcia military base, which has been used by UK and US forces since it was built in the 1970s.
Trump’s outburst came months after his administration announced support for the bill, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio called a “tremendous achievement” in May.
Mauritius’ attorney general said his country’s sovereignty over the Chagos Islands “should no longer be subject to dispute”.
Ministers said in late December that the US and Britain were discussing updates to the 1966 treaty that asserted Britain’s sovereignty over the islands, but the talks had not yet been concluded.
Labour’s return comes at a tense time for relations between Keir Starmer and the US president.
At an emergency press conference on Monday, Keir Starmer criticized Donald Trump’s attempts to bring Greenland under US control. Sir Keir said alliances were built on “respect and partnership, not pressure”.
Tensions escalated further on Friday, January 23, when Mr. Trump said NATO allies were “a little bit behind the front lines” while serving in Afghanistan.
Sir Keir described the comments as “insulting and frankly appalling” and called for an apology. The US President’s comments sparked widespread reaction, including from Prince Harry, who is serving in Afghanistan.
The Duke of Sussex said the sacrifices of the 457 service personnel killed in service and their wider impact on families “deserve to be talked about honestly and respectfully as we all remain united and committed to diplomacy and the defense of peace”.
