Starmer’s ‘great friend’ shares £8million prize pot from ‘betrayal’ Chagos deal | Politics | News | EUROtoday

A detailed buddy of the prime minister profited from the deal which noticed the UK comply with relinquish management of the Chagos Islands. According to the Daily Mail, Philippe Sands KC, who describes himself as a ‘nice buddy’ of Sir Keir Starmer, shared a pot of £8million whereas performing as chief authorized counsel to Mauritius between 2010 and 2024.

Over that timeframe, negotiations occurred which ultimately noticed the UK agree handy again the island often known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, which is the house to the Diego Garcia army base. Although Starmer introduced the deal, negotiations had been initiated below the Conservative authorities and there’s no suggestion of impropriety. The new deal has seen the UK comply with lease again the army base for 99 years at a mean value of £101million per yr, a call many have criticised on nationwide safety grounds.

Graham Stringer, who has urged fellow Labour MPs to dam the deal, instructed the Daily Mail: “Philippe Sands is making a fortune representing the interests of a foreign country.

“Sands, the Prime Minister and the Attorney General all believe that international courts, dominated by judges from China are more important than our own democracy.

“The sooner we take control back for the people of this country, and not for foreign courts with lawyers making millions, the better.”

Philippe Sands KC, the high-profile worldwide human rights barrister and a determine identified to be near Attorney General Lord Hermer, coordinated authorized groups whose central goal was the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel has beforehand accused Sir Keir of betraying Britain.

Dame Priti stated: “The Prime Minister is betraying our country, our taxpayers and the Chagossian people with his Chagos Surrender.”

Government paperwork in Port Louis point out a minimum of £8.3million of public funds had been put aside for the litigation marketing campaign.

Although his private charge has not been disclosed, authorized sources say a lead advocate in such proceedings would sometimes obtain the most important portion, doubtlessly alongside a completion bonus.

Sands beforehand sparked controversy after being photographed elevating the Mauritian flag on the islands in 2022 and later joked in a 2023 Cambridge lecture about “humiliating Britain completely.”

In January, US President Donald Trump branded the deal an “act of great stupidity”, earlier than later rowing again on his feedback following discussions with Starmer.

Earlier this month, Downing Street insisted the case for the Chagos Islands deal was “crystal clear”.

“Claims that we negotiated this deal solely because of the 2019 ICJ (International Court of Justice) advisory opinion are simply wrong,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman stated.“That wasn’t the only challenge we faced.

“Without a deal, Mauritius would inevitably pursue a legally-binding judgment, and that judgment would then be applied by countries and international organisations alike.

“And without a deal, we’d face serious, real-world operational impacts on the base.”

The Daily Express has approached Philippe Sands for remark.