Starmer defends Chagos Islands decision amid Argentine claims over the Falklands
The Prime Minister said the agreement with Mauritius secures the long-term future of a joint UK-US military base.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir Keir Starmer has defended giving up UK control of the Chagos Islands, as the decision prompted Argentina to vow to gain “full sovereignty” of the Falkland Islands.
The Prime Minister said the agreement with Mauritius over the remote archipelago would achieve the “single most important thing” of securing the long-term future of a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.
But critics of the deal claimed it risks allowing China to gain a military foothold in the Indian Ocean while concerns were also raised for the future of other UK overseas territories.
US President Joe Biden welcomed the “historic” agreement and said it secures the “effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century”.
Argentina’s foreign minister, Diana Mondino, also welcomed the decision by the UK Government towards ending “outdated practices”.
She promised “concrete action” to ensure that the Falklands – the British-controlled archipelago that Argentina calls the Malvinas and claims as its own – are handed to Buenos Aires.
Sir Keir, asked to guarantee that under Labour no other British overseas territories will be signed away, told reporters: “The single most important thing was ensuring that we had a secure base, the joint US-UK base; hugely important to the US, hugely important to us.
“We’ve now secured that and that is why you saw such warm words from the US yesterday.”
The agreement over the continued UK-US military presence on Diego Garcia is expected to run for 99 years with an option to renew, with Britain paying a regular annual sum of money.
In a statement on Thursday, Falklands governor Alison Blake sought to reassure residents that Britain’s commitment to the South Atlantic territory was “unwavering”.
She said the historical context of the two territories was “very different”.
In 1982, 255 British service personnel died in the successful defence of the islands following an attack and occupation by Argentina.
It's nonsense. It's a bad idea in hard geopolitical terms
Elsewhere, former Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson said it was “crazy” to give up control of the Chagos Islands.
Speaking to Camilla Tominey on GB News, Mr Johnson said: “Why are we doing this? Sheer political correctness, desire to look like the good guys, desire to look as though we’re unbundling the last relics of our empire.
“It’s nonsense. It’s a bad idea in hard geopolitical terms, because the base in Diego Garcia is of huge strategic importance for the US, for the West, and it’s a key component of the Anglo-American alliance. It’s one of the things we bring to the table, has been for decades.”
After Conservative Party leadership candidates raised concerns, the Prime Minister’s special envoy for negotiations between the UK and Mauritius said China would not be able to develop a base in the Chagos Islands.
Jonathan Powell said US officials have been “intimately involved” in the negotiations, telling Times Radio: “Every single sentence and paragraph has been through an inter-agency process, all of the agencies in Washington. We’ve secured all of their red lines in that negotiation.
“When you come to see the detailed treaty, which is really quite long with the exchanges of letters, you’ll see that this idea of a Chinese base is just hooey. It can’t happen, won’t happen.
When you come to see the detailed treaty, which is really quite long with the exchanges of letters, you’ll see that this idea of a Chinese base is just hooey
“And also the fact that some of the newspapers have suggested Mauritius is an ally of China – it could hardly be further from the truth. Mauritius is very, very close to India and the Indians also have welcomed this agreement because they see it as so important for security in the Indian Ocean.
“Mauritius is one of only two countries in Africa that’s not a member of China’s Belt and Road (Initiative). So this notion that we’ve somehow given the Chagos Islands to an ally of China is rubbish, and anyway the negotiations were started by the previous Tory government.”
Chagossians were forced to leave the central Indian Ocean territory by 1973 to make way for the military base.
The expulsions are regarded as one of the most shameful parts of Britain’s modern colonial history and Chagossians have spent decades fighting to return to the islands.
The United Nations’ highest court, the International Court of Justice, previously ruled the UK’s administration of the territory was “unlawful” and must end.
Talks between the UK and Mauritius to reach an agreement began under the previous Conservative government in 2022.