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UK postpones debate on Chagos archipelago bill
(MENAFN) According to reports, the UK government has indefinitely delayed discussion of a bill that would formally transfer sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius.
This postponement follows sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump, who had previously signaled support for the May 2025 agreement between London and Mauritius. On Tuesday, Trump denounced the planned handover as an act of “great stupidity” and “total weakness,” asserting that it involved giving away “extremely important land” that hosts a “vital US military base.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired back at Trump on Wednesday, claiming that he criticized the Chagos deal “for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland.” The PM insisted that he would not yield on his position that Greenland is a part of Denmark.
Late Friday, the Labour government announced that the bill would not be debated in the House of Lords on Monday as initially scheduled. The upper chamber will address the matter at a later, unspecified date, according to reports.
Earlier, Conservative lawmakers urged a pause, arguing that the bill contravenes a 1996 UK-US agreement stipulating that the Indian Ocean territory must remain under British sovereignty to ensure both nations have access for security purposes. Reports indicate that Tory leader Kemi Badenoch discussed the issue with US House Speaker Mike Johnson during his visit to the British Parliament on Monday.
Starmer’s deal with Mauritius allows the UK and the US to maintain control over a joint military base on Diego Garcia, the archipelago’s largest island, for an initial term of 99 years, reportedly valued at $3.9 billion.
A UK government spokesperson told reports that the administration “remains fully committed” to preserving the Diego Garcia base and criticized the Conservatives for “irresponsible and reckless behavior,” adding that their role is “to check legislation, not interfere with our national security priorities.”
This postponement follows sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump, who had previously signaled support for the May 2025 agreement between London and Mauritius. On Tuesday, Trump denounced the planned handover as an act of “great stupidity” and “total weakness,” asserting that it involved giving away “extremely important land” that hosts a “vital US military base.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer fired back at Trump on Wednesday, claiming that he criticized the Chagos deal “for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland.” The PM insisted that he would not yield on his position that Greenland is a part of Denmark.
Late Friday, the Labour government announced that the bill would not be debated in the House of Lords on Monday as initially scheduled. The upper chamber will address the matter at a later, unspecified date, according to reports.
Earlier, Conservative lawmakers urged a pause, arguing that the bill contravenes a 1996 UK-US agreement stipulating that the Indian Ocean territory must remain under British sovereignty to ensure both nations have access for security purposes. Reports indicate that Tory leader Kemi Badenoch discussed the issue with US House Speaker Mike Johnson during his visit to the British Parliament on Monday.
Starmer’s deal with Mauritius allows the UK and the US to maintain control over a joint military base on Diego Garcia, the archipelago’s largest island, for an initial term of 99 years, reportedly valued at $3.9 billion.
A UK government spokesperson told reports that the administration “remains fully committed” to preserving the Diego Garcia base and criticized the Conservatives for “irresponsible and reckless behavior,” adding that their role is “to check legislation, not interfere with our national security priorities.”
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