A bill that would cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands will not be included in the King’s Speech next month after Donald Trump branded it as an “act of great stupidity”
A deal that would see sovereignty of the Chagos Islands being handed over to Mauritius is now on the brink after Donald Trump called for it to be scrapped.
The bill that is key to the deal will not be included in the King’s Speech next month after Trump branded the deal as an “act of great stupidity” and withdrew his support. Keir Starmer remains committed to the deal and hopes to persuade Trump to back it.
Ministers have reportedly been left “deeply frustrated” by flip-flopping Trump, who had previously backed the deal following intensive negotiations. Trump reportedly changed his mind amid a dispute with NATO over plans to seize Greenland.
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The deal was controversial in the UK and would have handed over the islands to Mauritius and subsequently entering into a 99-year lease for Diego Garcia, the location of a UK base. The government said the deal would cost £3.5 billion.
Starmer’s relationship with Trump has collapsed in recent months and even saw the Labour PM hitting out at the US President amid the conflict in the Middle East. Trump lashed out at the UK for dismissing American pleas to use the base on the island in its first wave of strikes on Iran.
Starmer said the first strikes were illegal and that the plan to attack Iran was not well planned. He added people were “fed up” with Trump as well as President Putin.
The King’s Speech on May 13 sets out the government’s agenda for the upcoming parliamentary session. While it has not been included, the government hopes it can persuade Trump to back the deal.
There is now concern Mauritius could mount a legal challenge in a bid to force the UK to give temporary access to waters around the islands. It would make it much more difficult for the US to patrol surrounding waters.
