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Government clarifies stance on Chagos Islands deal
The UK government has dismissed reports of a pause in legislation to transfer control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite a minister telling MPs the process had been temporarily halted for discussions with the United States.
Minister's remarks spark confusion
Foreign Office Minister Hamish Falconer told the House of Commons on Wednesday that the UK was "pausing" the legislative process while engaging in talks with Washington. His comments followed a public appeal from US President Donald Trump, who urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to abandon the agreement.
A government source later stated there was "no pause," adding that no deadline had ever been set and that timelines would be announced "in the usual way."
US position adds uncertainty
Trump's intervention last week contradicted earlier US support for the treaty. In a post on Truth Social, he called the deal "a blight on our great ally" and insisted the territory should not be "given away." The White House has not commented on Falconer's remarks, while the US State Department declined to add further details.
The UK had previously secured Washington's backing for the agreement, which involves ceding sovereignty to Mauritius while retaining a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease costing £101 million annually.
Legislative process in limbo
The Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill, currently before the House of Lords, aims to enshrine the deal into UK law. However, no date has been set for its next stage after a January debate was postponed due to a Conservative amendment calling for a pause.
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones stated the bill would return "as soon as parliamentary time allows," while Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty accused Conservative peers of attempting to "sabotage" the legislation through "parliamentary stunts."
Opposition and Chagossian concerns
Mauritius's Attorney General Gavin Glover acknowledged the pause but noted it did not signal a withdrawal. "There has been no discussion on the legislative process for the last three weeks," he said, adding he remained in contact with UK officials.
Chagossians, forcibly removed from the islands in the 1960s, view the deal as a betrayal, hoping instead for UK sovereignty to enable their return. Reform UK MP Nigel Farage echoed these concerns, arguing Mauritius had "no historical or cultural claim" and warning of potential regional conflicts involving India and China.
"This is not a legal necessity. It's a political choice made by a floundering prime minister, and it's British taxpayers who are left to pay the price."
Wendy Morton, Shadow Foreign Minister
Historical context
The UK has administered the Chagos Islands since 1814, separating them from Mauritius in 1965 in exchange for a £3 million payment. The eviction of Chagossian inhabitants in the 1960s paved the way for the Diego Garcia military base, a strategic asset for both the UK and US.
The current agreement follows international court rulings pressuring the UK to resolve the sovereignty dispute, though critics argue the deal undermines British strategic interests and taxpayer value.
