A US senator has launched a scathing attack on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the government’s plan to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with the senator suggesting that Starmer must be “on drugs” to back the controversial deal.
John Kennedy, a Republican senator from Louisiana, expressed his fierce opposition to the agreement, telling Starmer, “Put the bong down,” after the UK government confirmed plans to transfer sovereignty of the islands, which are located in the Indian Ocean. The islands include Diego Garcia, which hosts a key UK-US naval base. While sovereignty is being transferred to Mauritius, the base will remain under British and American control for the next 99 years, based on a lease agreement, reported by Fox News.
The handover stems from a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2019, backed by the United Nations, stating that the UK had no legitimate claim to the islands. Starmer had hoped to finalize the transfer before the inauguration of then-President Donald Trump, who opposed the deal but failed to do so. It remains unclear whether the new US administration will attempt to block the transfer.
Kennedy expressed his outrage, labeling the decision as “bone deep down to the marrow stupid” and criticized the UN’s role in the matter. “Because the United Nations wants the United Kingdom to feel guilty, they want to give our military base and their military base to Mauritius,” he said, stressing the importance of the US-UK military relationship.
The senator, though acknowledging his affection for the UK, continued, “The United Kingdom is our friend. I love them and I want to see the prime minister do well, but he needs to put down the bong.” Kennedy warned that the deal could lead to unintended consequences, including a stronger influence from China in the region.
While Kennedy later apologized for his remarks about “the bong,” he urged Starmer to reconsider the decision, stating, “Don’t do this. We’ll stand with you in telling the United Nations to go fill out a hurt feelings report because we’re not doing it.”
The deal includes a £90 million annual payment to Mauritius, which could amount to £9 billion over the 99-year period. However, Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has suggested that the final cost could be even higher, with the payments linked to inflation, potentially bringing the total to £18 billion.
In response, a spokesman for Starmer emphasized that the deal would be scrutinized and ratified by both houses of Parliament once finalized. “Our position remains that finalising a deal means we can secure strong protections, including from malign influences, that will allow the base to continue to operate,” the spokesman stated.
Despite the controversy, Starmer’s office remains firm in its stance that the deal will serve the UK’s national security interests.
