Hopes Donald Trump could BLOCK Chagos giveaway as Nigel Farage says he is ‘hostile’ to Labour’s deal
DONALD Trump’s team are openly “hostile” to Britain’s giveaway of the Chagos Islands, Nigel Farage has claimed.
Hopes were rising today that the incoming US President could pressure ministers to abandon the deal that relinquishes UK sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius.
Labour have dismissed accusations they have put the UK’s security at risk by signing away the strategic Indian Ocean archipelago to an ally of China.
The Foreign Office has highlighted support for the deal – which keeps the joint British-American military base on Diego Garcia – from Joe Biden.
But today Mr Farage – a close friend of Mr Trump – said there would be “outright hostility” to the agreement in the next administration.
The Reform leader told the Commons: “The incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz has form on this.
“Having been in America last week, and knowing the incoming defence secretary very well, there is outright hostility to this deal.
“Diego Garcia was described to me by a senior Trump adviser as the most important island on the planet as far as America was concerned. So you’re going to find outright hostility.”
Mr Farage insisted that Mauritius has “no legal or historical” claim to the British Indian Overseas Territory.
Ex-Tory Minister Lord Blencathra has also written to the next Secretary of State Marco Rubio who he believes is sympathetic to axing the Mauritius deal.
He said: “We believe that the proposed surrender of the Chagos Islands will damage this standing and our shared ability to protect and project our shared interests and security.”
The deal announced last month will see Britain pay Mauritius an undisclosed sum to keep control of the base but give up sovereignty of the rest of the overseas territory following a long–running row.
Labour insist the 99-year lease agreement would guarantee the undisputed status of Diego Garcia for the first time ever.
Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty said today: “The base on Diego Garcia plays a critical role in countering an array of threats to regional and international security.
“Without legal certainty, the base simply cannot operate effectively; continued uncertainty would be a gift to our adversaries.
“This is why the agreement has been welcomed by all parts of the US system and by other critical regional security partners including India.”