Parliament’s Inquiry into Chagos Deal Intensifies as Starmer Visits Washington

Concerns are growing in Parliament regarding the government’s decision to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is traveling to Washington to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose approval is essential for the deal to proceed.

The UK is in talks to hand over the Chagos Islands while negotiating to lease back the strategically important Diego Garcia military base used by the United States. A deal signed in October stipulates that the British-U.S. base on Diego Garcia will remain under UK control for at least 99 years.

According to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Washington’s approval is critical for the deal to move forward. In an interview with ITV’s “Peston” program on Wednesday, Lammy stated: “If President Trump doesn’t approve the deal, it will not go through.

“This is because we share military and intelligence interests with the United States, and they must be satisfied with the deal for it to proceed.”

The initial Chagos deal, announced in October, was reached in close consultation with American officials. However, since then, both Mauritius and the United States have undergone leadership changes.

Newly elected Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has criticized the agreement, arguing it was poorly negotiated. He objected to the lack of inflation-proofing in the UK’s payments for leasing Diego Garcia and opposed a clause allowing the UK to unilaterally extend the lease for another 40 years.

Despite this, Lammy, emphasizing the close connection between the UK’s military and intelligence and the United States, believes it is the best deal.

Heated Debate

During his first face-to-face meeting with Trump since his return to the White House, Starmer is expected to discuss the issue.

The meeting follows a tense exchange in the House of Commons on Wednesday, where Starmer faced questions about whether British defense funds would be used to pay Mauritius for leasing back Diego Garcia.

Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch pressed him for clarity, but Starmer refused to confirm, insisting that the increase in defense spending was focused on European security.

He highlighted the significance of the Chagos deal for UK security and assured MPs that full details would be provided once finalized.

The government has not disclosed the cost of the agreement, but reports suggest payments could range between £9 billion and £18 billion. Starmer dismissed these figures as “wide of the mark.”

Badenoch urged the government to ensure that no defense budget funds are used for the deal.

Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel introduced a motion in the Commons requesting the government to release a timeline of negotiations between the UK and Mauritius since July 4 last year. The motion also sought confirmation of the accuracy of recent updates provided by the Mauritius prime minister on the terms of the deal.

However, the motion was defeated on Wednesday evening by 298 to 147 votes.

Patel criticized the government for concealing the true facts of the deal, which she claims was mishandled from the beginning. She accused the Conservatives of allowing the deal to progress despite the opportunity to stop it.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticized the Chagos agreement, suggesting that it was driven by “colonial guilt” rather than strategic interests. He proposed selling the islands to the United States instead of handing them over to what he described as a “corrupt Mauritius.”

“If we’re going to relinquish this, let’s sell it. Let’s sell it and get a few billion pounds for the Chagos Islands,” Farage told MPs on Wednesday.

UK’s Rule Over Chagos Islands

Mauritius, which gained independence from the UK in 1968, has long asserted sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, contending that they were unlawfully separated prior to independence.

In 2019, the U.N.’s highest court issued an advisory opinion declaring the UK’s administration of the territory as “unlawful,” increasing pressure on Britain to return the islands.

Between 1968 and 1973, the UK forcibly removed between 1,400 and 1,700 Chagossians to establish the Diego Garcia base. Many were resettled in Mauritius and the Seychelles, with some being permitted to move to the UK from 2002. British laws made it illegal for them to return without authorization.

The UK has since apologized for the forced removals and provided three compensation payments, the most recent in 2016. However, many Chagossians feel excluded from decisions concerning their homeland and demand greater involvement in its future.

PA Media contributed to this report.