A furious row has erupted between Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch over the Chagos Islands. The Tory leader took aim at the Reform UK boss over "humiliating" comments on a podcast about the British Indian Ocean Territory.
It comes amid controversy over Labour's deal to hand over sovereignty to Mauritius, which has been put on hold after criticism from US President Donald Trump.
Farage's podcast comments
Mr Farage told the Benny Show: "I'd have gone in and said, 'Right, you know what, mate? Chagos, it's yours. Diego Garcia, in perpetuity, the most strategic American military base in the world, which it is.
"Outside mainland America, Diego is the most important thing America has for nuclear subs, for long-range bombers, for all of it. I'd have said, 'Right, I'm guaranteeing you that. I'm giving up on this surrender. In return, just please stop talking about the Falkland Islands. I know you like Milei, but this really matters to us'. And there's a trade, you see."
Badenoch hits back
Speaking to The Telegraph, Mrs Badenoch hit back: "Giving away British territory in return for someone keeping quiet is not a deal. It is humiliating.
"There is no pride in our country in the way he talks about us. This is careless, loose talk from a man who wants to be responsible for Britain's national security."
A Reform spokesman later added that it was "quite clear Nigel was talking about the Americans using Diego Garcia in perpetuity and not the Chagos Islands as a whole".
Farage responds on X
Mr Farage wrote on X: "Kemi is lying again. She just can't help herself."
In another post, he added: "I make it clear that I am opposed to the surrender of sovereignty to Mauritius. I would offer the use of Diego Garcia to the US in perpetuity. In return, I would want America to go quiet on the Falklands.
"No one has fought harder to save the Chagos Islands from being given away than I have, unlike the Tories and Labour trying to give them away. I have even helped repopulate the islands with Chagossians."
Under the controversial Chagos deal, the UK would pay eye-watering sums to lease back the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. But Mr Trump has lambasted the agreement as "an act of great stupidity", while it has also been fiercely opposed by the Tories and Reform.
