Starmer signs deal to hand Chagos Islands to Mauritius after last-ditch legal challenge
True cost of Chagos deal revealed for first time
- Sir Keir Starmer has signed an agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after a last-minute injunction to halt the move failed.
- The deal will see the UK give up sovereignty of the island territory to Mauritius and pay £101 million per year for 99 years to lease the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia back from the government.
- Thursday was the first time that the true cost of the deal – which Sir Keir said is vital for national security –was revealed.
- It could result in a total sum of £10bn being carved out of the UK’s defence budget, but Sir Keir said that is cheaper than the running cost of running an aircraft carrier.
- Tory shadow defence minister Mark Francois said the deal is “absolute madness” given recent cost-cutting measures by the Government.