Labour's disastrous deal on the Chagos Islands is one of the worst foreign policy failures in modern British history. They are handing over a vital defence asset that we operate with our closest security partner and now we are expected to pay billions for the privilege of giving it away. When Labour negotiates, Britain loses.
While Parliament has been kept in the dark, the Mauritian government has had full transparency. Their Prime Minister laid out the details of this deal in their Parliament, even providing a timeline of negotiations. This is information Labour has refused to disclose to the British people or to our Parliament.
This weak and hapless government has backed down, and the country deserves answers:
- Has Labour given away Britain’s sovereign rights over Diego Garcia?
- What is the true cost of this deal—£9 billion? £18 billion? More?
- Will taxes go up or services be cut to pay for it?
- Will defence cuts be made to cover this staggering cost?
At a time when Labour is slapping higher taxes on hard-working families and cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners, how can they justify an eye-watering sum to lease back land that Britain already owns?
And crucially, does this set a dangerous precedent for other UK military bases like Cyprus?
This is a betrayal of Britain’s national security, taxpayers, and strategic interests. If Labour thinks this is such a good deal, let them defend it. But they won’t because they know they have sold out Britain.
Moreover, the Chagossian community in the UK, many of whom were forcibly removed from their homeland decades ago, feel sidelined by this agreement. They were not consulted and now face uncertainty about their future. This deal not only undermines our nation's interests but also neglects the rights and voices of those directly affected.