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| UK signs £101m-a-year deal to hand over Chagos Islands and lease military base | UK signs £101m-a-year deal to hand over Chagos Islands and lease military base |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Starmer announces deal to hand over Chagos Islands and lease back military base | |
| Sir Keir Starmer has signed a deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a key military base for £101m a year. | Sir Keir Starmer has signed a deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back a key military base for £101m a year. |
| The prime minister said the deal was the only way to maintain the base's long-term future and had secured "strong protections" for the UK, including from "malign influences". | The prime minister said the deal was the only way to maintain the base's long-term future and had secured "strong protections" for the UK, including from "malign influences". |
| Under the terms of the deal Mauritius would gain sovereignty of the islands from the UK, but allow the US and UK to continue operating a military base on Diego Garcia for an initial period of 99 years. | Under the terms of the deal Mauritius would gain sovereignty of the islands from the UK, but allow the US and UK to continue operating a military base on Diego Garcia for an initial period of 99 years. |
| The UK signed the agreement after overcoming a last-minute legal challenge brought by two Chagossians. | The UK signed the agreement after overcoming a last-minute legal challenge brought by two Chagossians. |
| The government will pay Mauritius an average of £101m a year for 99 years, which Sir Keir said amounted to a "net cost" of £3.4bn after adjusting for factors including inflation. | The government will pay Mauritius an average of £101m a year for 99 years, which Sir Keir said amounted to a "net cost" of £3.4bn after adjusting for factors including inflation. |
| The prime minister told a news conference the UK had to "act now" or face Mauritian legal action that could interfere with the Diego Garcia base. | The prime minister told a news conference the UK had to "act now" or face Mauritian legal action that could interfere with the Diego Garcia base. |
| The base is "one of the most significant contributions that we make to our security relationship with the United States", he added. | The base is "one of the most significant contributions that we make to our security relationship with the United States", he added. |
| Speaking from the UK's Northwood military headquarters, Sir Keir said: "President Trump has welcomed the deal along with other allies, because they see the strategic importance of this base and that we cannot cede the ground to others who would seek to do us harm." | Speaking from the UK's Northwood military headquarters, Sir Keir said: "President Trump has welcomed the deal along with other allies, because they see the strategic importance of this base and that we cannot cede the ground to others who would seek to do us harm." |
| "If we did not agree this deal the legal situation would mean that we would not be able to prevent China or any other nation setting up their own bases on the outer islands or carrying out joint exercises near our base," the prime minister said. | "If we did not agree this deal the legal situation would mean that we would not be able to prevent China or any other nation setting up their own bases on the outer islands or carrying out joint exercises near our base," the prime minister said. |
| "No responsible government could let that happen." | "No responsible government could let that happen." |
| The deal sets a 24-mile buffer around Diego Garcia, where nothing can be built without UK consent. | The deal sets a 24-mile buffer around Diego Garcia, where nothing can be built without UK consent. |
| Foreign military and civilian forces will also be barred from other islands in the archipelago, with the UK retaining a power to veto any access to the islands. | Foreign military and civilian forces will also be barred from other islands in the archipelago, with the UK retaining a power to veto any access to the islands. |
| Defence Secretary John Healey is due to make a statement in Parliament on the future of the military base later. | Defence Secretary John Healey is due to make a statement in Parliament on the future of the military base later. |
| The deal has attracted strong criticism from opposition politicians in the UK, who have questioned the cost and say an important military base should not be given to a country with close links to China. | The deal has attracted strong criticism from opposition politicians in the UK, who have questioned the cost and say an important military base should not be given to a country with close links to China. |
| Speaking ahead of the deal being signed, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was an example of "Labour chaos". | Speaking ahead of the deal being signed, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was an example of "Labour chaos". |
| "We should not be paying to surrender British territory to Mauritius," she said. | "We should not be paying to surrender British territory to Mauritius," she said. |
| "The fact that Labour is negotiating something that sees the British taxpayer in hoc for potential billions is completely wrong." | "The fact that Labour is negotiating something that sees the British taxpayer in hoc for potential billions is completely wrong." |
| Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice joined a group of Chagossians protesting outside the High Court earlier, saying he wanted to see "another Starmer surrender sell out" stopped. | Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice joined a group of Chagossians protesting outside the High Court earlier, saying he wanted to see "another Starmer surrender sell out" stopped. |
| Members of the Chagossian community held a protest outside the High Court as a legal challenge was dismissed | Members of the Chagossian community held a protest outside the High Court as a legal challenge was dismissed |
| It comes after the High Court dismissed a legal challenge, which temporarily blocked the deal when a last-minute court injunction was granted at 02:25. | It comes after the High Court dismissed a legal challenge, which temporarily blocked the deal when a last-minute court injunction was granted at 02:25. |
| The legal action was brought by two Chagossian women, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who were both born on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands, and would like to be able to return. | The legal action was brought by two Chagossian women, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who were both born on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands, and would like to be able to return. |
| In October, the two countries said that under the deal Mauritius would be "free to implement a programme of resettlement" on the islands, excluding Diego Garcia, which is home to the UK-US military base. | In October, the two countries said that under the deal Mauritius would be "free to implement a programme of resettlement" on the islands, excluding Diego Garcia, which is home to the UK-US military base. |
| In a pre-action letter, lawyers for the two women said the Chagossian people had unlawfully not been given a say in the future of the islands, despite being the native inhabitants. | In a pre-action letter, lawyers for the two women said the Chagossian people had unlawfully not been given a say in the future of the islands, despite being the native inhabitants. |
| They also said that they did not trust Mauritius to treat the Chagossians fairly, and that they would face "severe obstacles" as British citizens who do not hold Mauritian nationality, including possible racial discrimination and the loss of the possibility of returning. | They also said that they did not trust Mauritius to treat the Chagossians fairly, and that they would face "severe obstacles" as British citizens who do not hold Mauritian nationality, including possible racial discrimination and the loss of the possibility of returning. |
| In a witness statement to the High Court, senior Foreign Office official Harriet Matthews said the delay had "caused harm to the UK's reputation" with Mauritius and the US. | In a witness statement to the High Court, senior Foreign Office official Harriet Matthews said the delay had "caused harm to the UK's reputation" with Mauritius and the US. |
| Following the court's decision, Ms Pompe said it was "a very very sad day" but added: "We are not giving up." | Following the court's decision, Ms Pompe said it was "a very very sad day" but added: "We are not giving up." |
| "We don't want to give our rights, hand over our rights to Mauritius. We're not Mauritians," she said. | "We don't want to give our rights, hand over our rights to Mauritius. We're not Mauritians," she said. |
| On Thursday, representatives of the Chagossian community met Foreign Office Secretary David Lammy and minister Stephen Doughty, for discussions on the sovereignty of the territory. | On Thursday, representatives of the Chagossian community met Foreign Office Secretary David Lammy and minister Stephen Doughty, for discussions on the sovereignty of the territory. |
| In a call immediately after the meeting, Jemmy Simon, from the Chagossian Voices group, told the BBC there was "nothing in there [the deal] that is any good for us". | In a call immediately after the meeting, Jemmy Simon, from the Chagossian Voices group, told the BBC there was "nothing in there [the deal] that is any good for us". |
| "I'm beyond horrified and angry right now." | "I'm beyond horrified and angry right now." |
| She said the deal would include a £40m support package, which the Mauritian government could use to help resettlement. | She said the deal would include a £40m support package, which the Mauritian government could use to help resettlement. |
| "They [the British government] promised to look out for our best interests – absolute rubbish," she said. | "They [the British government] promised to look out for our best interests – absolute rubbish," she said. |
| "It is up to Mauritius to decide if we will get to resettle on the outer islands or not, but they don't have to if they don't want to." | "It is up to Mauritius to decide if we will get to resettle on the outer islands or not, but they don't have to if they don't want to." |
| Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago, was separated from Mauritius along with the rest of the Chagos Islands in 1965 and now houses a US military base | |
| The Chagos Archipelago was separated from Mauritius in 1965, when Mauritius was still a British colony. | The Chagos Archipelago was separated from Mauritius in 1965, when Mauritius was still a British colony. |
| Britain purchased the islands for £3m, but Mauritius has argued it was illegally forced to give away the islands in order to get independence from Britain. | Britain purchased the islands for £3m, but Mauritius has argued it was illegally forced to give away the islands in order to get independence from Britain. |
| In the late 1960s Britain invited the US to build a military base on Diego Garcia and removed thousands of people from their homes on the island. | In the late 1960s Britain invited the US to build a military base on Diego Garcia and removed thousands of people from their homes on the island. |
| An immigration order, issued in 1971, prevented the islanders from returning. | An immigration order, issued in 1971, prevented the islanders from returning. |
| The Chagos islanders themselves – some in Mauritius and the Seychelles, but others living in Crawley in Sussex – do not speak with one voice on the fate of their homeland. | The Chagos islanders themselves – some in Mauritius and the Seychelles, but others living in Crawley in Sussex – do not speak with one voice on the fate of their homeland. |
| Some are determined to return to live on the isolated islands, some are more focused on their rights and status in the UK, while others argue that the archipelago's status should not be resolved by outsiders. | Some are determined to return to live on the isolated islands, some are more focused on their rights and status in the UK, while others argue that the archipelago's status should not be resolved by outsiders. |
| In recent years, the UK has come under growing international pressure to return the islands to Mauritius, with both the United Nations' top court and general assembly siding with Mauritius over sovereignty claims. | In recent years, the UK has come under growing international pressure to return the islands to Mauritius, with both the United Nations' top court and general assembly siding with Mauritius over sovereignty claims. |
| In late 2022, the previous Conservative government began negotiations over control of the territory but did not reach an agreement by the time it lost power in the 2024 general election. | In late 2022, the previous Conservative government began negotiations over control of the territory but did not reach an agreement by the time it lost power in the 2024 general election. |