Starmer Agrees to Handover Chagos, Confirming £3.4 Billion Deal with Mauritius

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the UK will hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, a move that is expected to cost British taxpayers significantly more than initially stated. While the PM claimed the total cost of the deal is £3.4 billion, new documents suggested the actual expenses could be ten times higher.

Starmer confirmed that the UK will pay an average of £101 million annually for nearly 100 years as part of the agreement, including leasing back the Diego Garcia air base for 99 years.

Initially, the UK will pay Mauritius £165 million per year for the first three years for the lease of Diego Garcia, which is used by the United States.

This amount will decrease to £120 million annually for the next 10 years and will then be adjusted for inflation for the remainder of the lease.

In addition to the lease payments, the UK will contribute £45 million each year for 25 years—totaling over £1.1 billion—into a fund aimed at supporting economic development and welfare projects in Mauritius.

There is also a one-time payment of £40 million to assist Chagossians who were displaced when the base was established in the 1970s.

Some estimates are suggesting that the total cost of the handover could reach around £30 billion, factoring in an average inflation rate of 2%.

This figure is particularly concerning given the government’s recent cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners and the cap on child benefits. Notably, this amount is three times the annual GDP of Mauritius.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the deal, calling it a “Surrender Tax” that wastes taxpayers’ money and compromises national security by handing British territory to a country aligned with China. She expressed concern that other nations might view the UK as having lost its way.

The UK Prime Minister’s announcement came after a last-minute legal attempt to block the deal failed. Chagossians Bertrice Pompe and Bernadette Dugasse, both born on Diego Garcia, are fighting to keep the islands under British control and to secure their right to return.

A new hearing is currently underway at the High Court as the government moves forward with the agreement.

Chagossians Forced Out for Military Base; PM Defends Costly Handover

The Chagossians were removed from their homes in the central Indian Ocean by 1973 to make way for a military base.

Today, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced backlash after stating that the UK had no choice but to hand over its last territory east of Suez to avoid legal action that could jeopardize the security of Diego Garcia.

Starmer claimed the total cost of the Chagos Islands deal is £3.4 billion, which he described as the “net cost” of the 99-year lease.

However, he was questioned about this figure, as annual payments of £101 million would amount to nearly £10 billion over the life of the agreement.

In response, he explained, “That is the net cost, and the reason it’s put in those terms is because that is how the Government counts it.

It’s how the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) measures costs, and it’s the way public sector projects are evaluated.

In other words, what’s the net cost today? And that is £3.4 billion. Obviously, over time with inflation, that is the net cost.”

The deal, which will cost the UK nearly £500 million in the next three years alone, was announced after a last-minute legal attempt to block it failed.

Speaking in Hertfordshire, Starmer insisted that the UK had “no alternative but to act in Britain’s national interest.”

At Northwood Headquarters, he noted that former President Trump and other allies welcomed the deal, recognizing the strategic importance of the base.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also tweeted that the agreement “secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation” of Diego Garcia, which the U.S. funds.

Starmer emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that Mauritius would likely win any legal disputes against the UK.

He warned, “If Mauritius took us to court again, which they certainly would have, the UK’s longstanding legal view is that we would not have a realistic prospect of success and would likely face provisional measures orders within weeks.”

However, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized Starmer’s decision, calling it a “disgrace.”

He argued that the UK Prime Minister is surrendering British territory to Mauritius, which has never owned the islands, and that no court order requires this action.

Philp expressed concern that this move undermines UK security, as a lease does not equate to sovereignty, and noted that Mauritius is allied with China, which could potentially place military equipment in the region.

He added, “British taxpayers are left paying the huge bill for Starmer’s stupidity.”

In his defense, Starmer pointed out that leaders like Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch are aligned with countries like Russia, China, and Iran regarding the Chagos Islands deal.

He stated, “In favor are all of our allies, the U.S., NATO, Five Eyes, India. Against it are Russia, China, Iran, and, surprisingly, the leader of the opposition and Nigel Farage, who are in that column alongside those countries rather than with the UK and its allies.”

Chaos Surrounds UK Prime Minister’s Announcement of Chagos Islands Handover

The UK Prime Minister’s plan to announce the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius this morning was thrown into disarray after a High Court injunction was issued overnight.

Two Chagossian women, born on Diego Garcia—home to a significant UK/US airbase—are challenging the handover as part of their efforts to return to their homeland.

However, after an emergency hearing this morning, Mr. Justice Chamberlain ruled that the transfer of the islands, officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, can proceed.

Sir James Eadie KC, representing the Foreign Office, argued that delays caused by the injunction had already resulted in “damage,” and a decision was needed by 1 PM to finalize the deal.

The handover agreement, which has received approval from former President Trump, is highly controversial.

Mauritius, which has friendly ties with China, is set to receive billions of pounds in taxpayer money over the coming decades for the lease of Diego Garcia. Critics argue that Mauritius’s relationship with Beijing could compromise the security of the base.

After the ruling, claimant Bertrice Pompe spoke to reporters outside the High Court, stating, “We have rights. We are British citizens, yet our rights don’t count. We don’t want to give our rights to Mauritius; we are not Mauritians.”

Downing Street has stated that it does not believe the Chagos deal will lead to challenges regarding the UK’s sovereignty over Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.

When asked if Argentina might feel encouraged to pursue an international legal challenge over the Falklands due to this deal, a spokesperson for No. 10 said:

“I’m not going to deal with hypothetical situations like the one you just outlined. But this is an essential deal for British national security and for British lives on British soil.”

During a briefing to MPs, Defence Secretary John Healey explained that without the agreement, the UK could not guarantee the safe docking of submarines at Diego Garcia, nor could it patrol the surrounding waters or control the airspace above.

Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge accused the government of “surrendering” the Chagos Islands.

He criticized Sir Keir Starmer for suggesting that those opposing the deal are aligned with Russia and China, calling it “beneath contempt.”

Cartlidge added, “The government is not surrendering British sovereign territory due to military defeat or a binding legal verdict, but willfully, due to a total failure to stand up for Britain’s interests on the world stage—a complete negotiating failure.”

Former Foreign Secretary Sir James Cleverly also questioned Healey about which courts the government feared might issue a ruling that could effectively shut down the Diego Garcia base.

Defence Secretary Avoids Direct Answer on Legal Challenges to Chagos Islands Handover

The Defence Secretary did not provide a clear answer when asked about potential legal challenges but mentioned that there are various international legal issues against the UK.

He highlighted that the most immediate and serious concern is from the tribunal of the International Convention of the Sea.

Earlier today, Mr. Justice Goose granted “interim relief” to Bertrice Pompe, one of two Chagossian women who have taken legal action against the handover deal, at 2:25 AM. This ruling temporarily halts the negotiations.

At Northwood Headquarters, the Prime Minister stated that former President Trump and other allies support the deal due to the strategic importance of the Diego Garcia base, emphasizing that the UK cannot give up this territory to those who might threaten its security.

Sir Keir Starmer was scheduled to attend a virtual ceremony with Mauritian government representatives this morning to finalize the deal.

However, the High Court’s injunction emerged in the early hours, stopping the negotiations.

Mr. Justice Chamberlain later ruled that the legal principles strongly favor the government’s position.

He dismissed the injunction, stating that once the agreement is signed, it will be presented to Parliament, allowing lawmakers to review it. If Parliament deems the deal undesirable, it will not proceed.

He noted that while the case was considered quickly, the claimants had not established a serious issue to be tried.

He criticized the delay in bringing the case, pointing out that negotiations had been ongoing for some time and that any challenge should have been made promptly.

The injunction issued by Mr. Justice Goose at 2:25 AM prohibits the government from taking any final or legally binding steps to conclude negotiations regarding the transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to Mauritius.

The order specifically stated that the UK must maintain jurisdiction over the territory until further notice.

Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, hosts a joint UK-US military base that plays a crucial role in projecting Western influence in the Indian Ocean.

Critics of the proposed handover to Mauritius worry that it could strengthen China’s presence in the region.

Source: MSN