David Lammy tonight hit out at ‘politicking’ over Labour’s agreement to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The Foreign Secretary insisted the sovereignty pact was a ‘very good deal’ as he played down claims it was on the verge of an embarrassing collapse.
Serious doubt has been cast over the deal’s future following criticism of its terms by the new Mauritian prime minister and opposition from allies of incoming US president Donald Trump.
Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who was elected a fortnight ago, said he had ‘reservations’ about the agreement struck with the previous Mauritian administration.
He said he wants time to go over the details with lawyers, and expressed surprise that the deal was struck so close to the African country’s general election.
Speaking to the BBC, the Mauritian PM did not specify what he disliked. But an ally lashed out at a provision handing the UK and US a 99-year lease on the Diego Garcia airbase.
It came after Mr Ramgoolam met with Jonathan Powell, who is Labour’s incoming national security adviser and the UK envoy behind the agreement to give away the islands.
Mr Powell has been scrambled first to Mauritius and then to Washington DC in a desperate attempt to get the deal done before Mr Trump takes over from Joe Biden in January.
David Lammy tonight hit out at ‘politicking’ over Labour’s agreement to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius
Newly-elected Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam met with Jonathan Powell, who is Labour’s incoming national security adviser and the UK envoy behind the agreement
Speaking to the BBC he did not specify what he disliked, but a key ally has lashed out at the key provision that hands the UK and US a 99-year lease on the Diego Garcia airbase.
Sir Keir Starmer’s deal to hand over what is formally known as the British Indian Ocean Territory has prompted a wave of criticism
The agreement also faces an additional hurdle as it has been condemned by Marco Rubio, who has been lined up by Donald Trump as the new US secretary of state
The UK Government’s deal to hand over what is formally known as the British Indian Ocean Territory has prompted a wave of criticism.
It is feared the strategically important archipelago is being ‘surrendered’ to an ally of China, albeit under a process that began under the previous Tory government.
The agreement also faces an additional hurdle as it has been condemned by Marco Rubio, who has been lined up by Mr Trump as the new US secretary of state.
He last month labelled the Chagos Islands deal ‘a serious threat’ to national security that ‘threatens critical US military posture in the region’.
Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons’ foreign affairs committee, Mr Lammy dismissed growing criticism of the agreement.
‘I’m very, very confident that this is a deal that the Mauritians will see, in a cross-party sense, as a good deal for them,’ the Foreign Secretary said.
Tory former Cabinet minister Sir John Whittingdale, a member of the committee, said the Mauritian leader had described the agreement as ‘high treason and a sellout’.
But Mr Lammy replied: ‘Both you and I have said things during an election in order to get elected. He did not say that yesterday.’
The Foreign Secretary also pushed back at criticism from Mr Trump’s allies, saying: ‘This is incredibly sad. I know and I’m sad that there’s been so much politicking about this.
‘This process begun under the last government and there were ministers who understand entirely why this is so important for our national security and global national security.
‘The agencies in the US think this is a good deal. The State Department in the US thinks this is a good deal.
‘And most important of all, the Pentagon and the White House think this is a good deal. And that’s not just the principal politicians in those in those areas, it is the system.’
Mr Lammy said the agreement was a ‘very good deal’ for ‘our national security’ because it secured the legal basis of the Diego Garcia military base.
He added: ‘I’m really reassured about that, and I think an incoming (US) administration will be reassured about that.
‘And I’m confident that the Mauritians are still sure about that, despite politicking that we all know goes on.’
Labour has insisted it had to strike a deal to protect the Diego Garcia base after the International Court of Justice ruled the UK’s administration of the islands was ‘unlawful’.
But Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, branded the legal case ‘phoney’ and expressed his hope than Mr Trump and Mr Rubio ‘shoot this agreement down’.
He told Sky News this evening: ‘The Chagos Islands are strategically, really important.
‘The Mauritian claim to these islands, which are a thousand miles away from (Mauritian capital) Port Louis, well, the case is weak.
‘The case is based on a UN vote. So the international law case for surrendering sovereignty seems to me, to be completely phoney.’
He added: ‘I think they have to realise that this is not in the interests of the United States. It’s not in the interests of the UK from the point view of our national security.’
The Tories renewed a demand for answers from the Government about the cost to the taxpayer and when full details of the agreement will be made public.
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel told the Mail: ‘While Keir Starmer’s special envoy has been sent to beg Donald Trump for his support, ministers refuse to disclose details of negotiations taking place.
‘They remain unable to answer basic questions about cost of this deal and the implications it might have on our national security and defence.
‘What we do know is that these plans go against our national interests and the views of the Chagossians have been ignored.
‘The fact that the new Mauritian prime minister wants more time to consider the deal gives the Government a chance to reflect on their plans and to start providing answers to the serious questions posed.’
Former defence secretary Grant Shapps added: ‘Now even Mauritius’s new prime minister believes Labour’s Chagos sovereignty sell-out is a dud.
‘It’s time for Starmer to scrap the deal and defend British military interests around the world.’
Downing Street today insisted the Government’s position ‘remains unchanged’ on the Chagos Islands deal.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘The UK’s position on this remains unchanged.
‘We have always said that we look forward to engaging with the new Mauritian government and that’s exactly what we’re doing in order to progress the deal.
‘We are now finalising the details of legal texts, the treaty, and will be coming forward for parliamentary scrutiny as part of the ratification process next year.’
Labour made the shock announcement in October that it was going to hand sovereignty of Chagos Islands – a British overseas territory for more than 200 years.
As part of the arrangement, the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia on the Indian Ocean archipelago will remain operational for at least 99 years.
But the president of Mauritius who agreed it, Pravind Jugnauth, was ousted in the election. It has yet to be officially signed.
Opponents of the handover are hopeful that Mr Trump will force Labour to scrap the deal when he returns to the White House.
