Starmer set to present ‘£9bn’ of your cash to Mauritius in Chagos deal | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer is about to signal away the Chagos Islands on Thursday and provides Mauritius billions of kilos, experiences have prompt. The Prime Minister will attend a “virtual signing ceremony” with officers from the Mauritian authorities.

The UK would give the Chagos Islands, often known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, to Mauritius and pay to lease again the US-UK army base on Diego Garcia below the phrases of the plan. The Government has argued that it has to surrender sovereignty over the territory due to worldwide authorized rulings in favour of Mauritius.

Critics of the proposal have raised issues over the associated fee and safety ensures linked to the preliminary 99-year settlement.

The Foreign Office has not launched phrases of the deal however it’s anticipated to incorporate a big up-front cost to be used of the Diego Garcia base and an annual rental charge.

The Telegraph reported there can even be a brand new “Chagos fund”, which can see Britain contribute growth funding for Mauritius.

The UK authorities has by no means confirmed the estimated price of funds below the deal however press experiences have put the determine at round £9billion.

Speaking within the Commons this week, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge prompt the Government has delayed finalising the deal because it fears Labour MPs is not going to assist it.

He advised defence questions: “The Secretary of State will no doubt share my profound concern at reports that last week Mauritius and Russia agreed to deepen their cooperation on fisheries and other maritime issues.

“Doesn’t this show that Labour’s policy of spending billions renting back a military base we already own is not only a waste of taxpayers’ money, but a major risk to our national security?”

Defence Secretary John Healey replied: “No, it shows that when we were elected last summer we inherited a situation where there were increasing questions, increasing jeopardy over the continuing sovereignty, our operational sovereignty of that Diego Garcia base.

“That’s why we’ve been taking the action since then.”