Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial plan to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been plunged into chaos after the deal’s mastermind, former Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, was interrogated over alleged money laundering.
Jugnauth was questioned by the Mauritian Financial Crimes Commission on Saturday following a raid on his home. Authorities had earlier searched the residence of one of his close associates, reportedly uncovering suitcases stuffed with cash in multiple currencies, luxury watches, and UK visas. The associate has denied ownership of the items.
The revelation has sparked outrage among senior Tory figures and Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, a vocal critic of the deal, warned that the allegations cast a “huge question mark” over the entire agreement. “The fact that the architect of the appalling Chagos deal has now been interrogated in a money-laundering probe raises the red flag that any money paid by Britain to Mauritius may end up being misappropriated for personal gain,” he said, told Daily Express.
Philp also insisted that Starmer should scrap the “awful” proposal, warning that it could result in billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money “disappearing into what could be an unaccountable black hole where there are huge concerns about corruption.”
Speaking to The Telegraph, he slammed the Labour leader’s approach: “Paying billions to give away territory that has been British for hundreds of years while undermining our security at the same time is madness and can only be explained by Keir Starmer trying to impress his lawyer friends. This whole deal defies common sense, and this revelation makes it even worse.”
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel accused the Labour Government of “hiding from scrutiny at every turn,” demanding full transparency on the situation. “The Government must disclose everything they know about this latest development, which affects our national interests,” she said.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick went even further, branding Starmer “China’s useful idiot.” He claimed, “Starmer is blindly following a non-binding court judgment made in part by judges appointed by Putin and Xi Jinping. He should stop sucking up to his legal mates and grow a backbone.”
Meanwhile, Richard Tice took to social media platform X to voice his suspicions, posting: “Deal mastermind, the Mauritius former PM, under investigation after piles of cash allegedly found. The deal never made sense, all left asking why. Follow the money…”
Jugnauth, who finalized the Chagos deal before being ousted in last November’s election, now faces further scrutiny as Mauritius’ Financial Crimes Commission has reportedly frozen the passports of him, his wife, brother-in-law, and his associate.
Despite no charges being filed yet, his supporters have protested outside the commission’s offices. Mauritian Minister Reza Uteem downplayed the travel restrictions, saying: “It is standard procedure for law enforcement to notify the passport and immigration services before interrogating a suspect.”
The Chagos Islands handover is projected to cost UK taxpayers between £9 billion and £18 billion in the coming decades while allowing the UK to maintain a lease on the strategically critical military base in Diego Garcia. However, former Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have warned that the deal hands a key territory to a country with close ties to China.
Starmer has defended the move, insisting it provides “legal certainty” for the base’s future following a 2019 UN court ruling that the UK had no right to occupy the islands. However, with corruption allegations now swirling around the man who pushed the deal forward, the pressure on Starmer to abandon the agreement is only intensifying.
CHAGOS: ALLEGATIONS OF MONEY LAUNDERING PROBE
— Richard Tice MP
Deal mastermind, the Mauritius former PM, under investigation after piles of cash allegedly found
Deal never made sense, all left asking why?
Follow the money…. https://t.co/6tn3Xyi7R8(@TiceRichard) February 15, 2025
