Dame Priti Patel has claimed Britain's "enemies are queuing up" to get close to Mauritius following the Government's decision to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. The shadow foreign secretary argued that adversaries including Russia, Iran and China support the deal because it makes the UK "weaker".
The Government agreed to cede the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius whilst retaining control of the military base on Diego Garcia. The arrangement will cost an estimated £34.7 billion over the next 99 years, with Parliament required to pass legislation before the treaty can be ratified.
Government defends military strategy
Defence minister Luke Pollard defended the decision during the Bill's second reading debate, explaining the deal was necessary to protect the military base. He told MPs: "You don't accidentally rock up one day to the Foreign Office and decide to start international negotiations, you do so because there was a clear risk to the future of that military base."
Pollard challenged the Conservatives to publish details of the Chagos negotiations started under the previous government, claiming Labour had secured "a better deal for the British people". The Conservatives had conducted 11 rounds of negotiations before Labour concluded the agreement.
Security concerns over foreign partnerships
Patel highlighted Russia's new partnership agreement with Mauritius, signed just days before the treaty, which includes marine research provisions. She warned this could allow Russian research activities "just a handful of miles away from our base", while Mauritius has also been courted by Iran and China for additional partnerships.
Dame Priti told MPs "everything about this surrender deal is wrong" and described it as a "fundamental betrayal of the British Chagossian community". She challenged the Prime Minister's claims that Russia, Iran and China oppose the deal, stating: "All evidence shows, so far from opposing the surrender treaty, our enemies actually back it, which means Britain is weaker."
Cross-party criticism emerges
Conservative MP Sarah Bool highlighted research suggesting inflation could push the true cost closer to £47 billion. Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith warned that China would benefit from the deal, claiming Beijing has long sought to control commercial traffic flows near the Chagos Islands.
Labour MP Peter Lamb, representing Crawley which hosts the UK's largest Chagossian community, announced his opposition to the legislation. He stated: "I do not believe they give us the right to override the Chagossian people's right to self-determination."
Former attorney general Sir Jeremy Wright questioned the Government's legal justification, disputing claims that the UK would otherwise face a binding International Court of Justice judgment. He suggested the Government had simply given Mauritius "everything they want" by granting sovereignty over the entire archipelago.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
