RIGHT-WING politicians have been left fuming at the UK Government’s announcement it is handing over control of islands said to have been Britain’s last African colony.
A deal has been reached which will see the UK hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, in the first secession of British sovereign territory since Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997.
Between 1967 and 1973, the UK Government expelled Chagossians from their homes so the US could build a naval base on the Diego Garcia atoll, the only inhabited part of the island.
The future of the military base has been safeguarded in an attempt to shore up Western defences in the region at a time of escalating tensions with India and China.
Right-wing politicians, including Tory leadership candidates, have reacted with fury, accusing the Government of having “surrendered” the islands.
James Cleverly (above), who as foreign secretary began unsuccessful negotiations on the islands’ future, tweeted: “Weak, weak, weak! Labour lied to get into office.
“Said they’d be whiter than white, said they wouldn’t put up taxes, said they’d stand up to the EU, said that they be patriotic. All lies!”
A senior Tory source told The Independent: “This was Cleverly’s Chagos deal! David Lammy just got it over the line.”
Tory MP Robert Jenrick added: “It’s taken three months for Starmer to surrender Britain’s strategic interests.
“This is a dangerous capitulation that will hand our territory to an ally of Beijing.”
Mauritius has close trade ties with China but as one of the most peaceful and economically-developed countries in Africa, enjoys strong diplomatic ties with the west and other countries around the world.
Kemi Badenoch (above) said: “Two days after Israel is attacked directly by Iran, Labour have put our vital base in the Indian Ocean at risk.
“Anyone who has been paying attention to the geopolitical climate will understand the strategic necessity of these islands. Labour [have] either not been paying attention or don’t care.
“Either way, this decision weakens UK influence across the world.”
Tom Tugendhat added: “This is a shameful retreat undermining our security and leaving our allies exposed.”
The decision has also infuriated Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who said: “Giving up the Chagos Islands is a strategic disaster. Our American allies will be furious and Beijing delighted. Labour are making the world a more dangerous place.”
But the move has also angered Chagossians displaced from their homes. Peter Lamb, the Labour MP for Crawley which is thought to be home to world’s largest Chagossian population, criticised the decision to hand over the islands to Mauritius.
He said: “This is very disappointing. The decision over the future of the islands belongs the Chagossian people, it's not for the UK to bargain away. Sixty years on from their exile, they've been let down again.”
The campaign group Chagossian Voices said they “deplore the exclusion of the Chagossian community from the negotiations” which led to the handover.
In a statement, the group added: “Chagossians have learned this outcome from the media and remain powerless and voiceless in determining our own future and the future of our homeland.
“The views of Chagossians, the indigenous inhabitants of the islands, have consistently and deliberately ignored and we demand full inclusion in the drafting of the treaty.”
The US is pleased with the deal because it safeguards the future of a strategic military base.
President Joe Biden hailed the deal as a “clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes”.
He added: “Diego Garcia is the site of a joint US-UK military facility that plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security.
“It enables the United States to support operations that demonstrate our shared commitment to regional stability, provide rapid response to crises, and counter some of the most challenging security threats we face.
“The agreement secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century.”
