UK Government Pushes Forward with Chagos Deal Despite Trump's Renewed Opposition
The British government has announced it will continue to pursue the Chagos Islands sovereignty agreement, a minister stated, despite former US President Donald Trump's latest reversal of his previous support for the deal. Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones confirmed that the proposed legislation will return to Parliament as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows, following its withdrawal last month.
Legislative Progress and Political Challenges
The bill, which is due to be debated in the House of Lords, was pulled in response to a Conservative-led amendment calling for a pause "in light of the changing geopolitical circumstances." This move came after President Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, describing the current agreement as a "big mistake" due to the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. The plans involve the UK leasing back the base on Diego Garcia, but Mr Trump criticised this arrangement as "tenuous" and "no good."
Minister's Defence of the Deal
Speaking on Times Radio, Ms Davies-Jones emphasised the importance of the deal for national security. "This deal is essential and crucial for the national security of the United Kingdom and that is the first priority of any government," she said. She added that the bill would be reintroduced promptly because it concerns national security. Ms Davies-Jones highlighted Mr Trump's inconsistent stance on the issue, noting that he has publicly supported the deal multiple times but also denounced it with similar frequency.
"I think it's really important to note that during his first meeting with President Trump, the Prime Minister reiterated this deal and President Trump backed it, and said that this lease was a strong lease," she recalled. "Just two weeks ago, the president again backed this and said it was the best deal available, and just this week the US administration reaffirmed their commitment to the deal."
Political Opposition and International Context
President Trump's latest comments followed a trip to Washington by former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a vocal critic of the Chagos deal, who discussed the plans with members of the Trump administration. Mr Trump then posted on Truth Social, warning that the base could be vital for a US strike on Iran and urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer: "Do not give away Diego Garcia." Both Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who oppose the deal, backed Mr Trump and called on Sir Keir to scrap it.
Tory shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns argued that the agreement was unnecessary, claiming people had been "misled" over the reasoning behind it. The government maintains that the future of the base has been threatened by recent international court decisions. The deal is expected to involve the UK paying Mauritius approximately £35 billion over the next century, averaging £350 million per year, to lease back the Diego Garcia base.
Chagossian Perspectives and Appeals
Ms Kearns told Times Radio, "We were told that there were weeks, only weeks for which the base could continue to operate safely. And now many, many months on, we're now finding out that actually the entire basis on which the Labour Government said they only had weeks to negotiate and get this done was not true." Meanwhile, the exiled first minister of the Chagos Islands urged Sir Keir to cancel the deal, suggesting he would become a "hero" if he did so.
Misley Mandarin, one of four Chagossians who returned to the islands on a small boat this week to reclaim their homeland, appealed to Sir Keir on BBC Radio 4. "I'll say Keir Starmer, as my Prime Minister, you have to look at this treaty again. British Chagossian on this island, yesterday you sent patrol to give us removal notice, the island belong to us. Harold Wilson did that... removing the Chagossian from their homeland and that is a stain on British politics but now it's 2026, Keir Starmer, you could be a hero right now. Don't ratify that deal, cancel that deal and let Chagossians come back to their homeland as British."
