A Labour minister has squirmed under pressure after being questioned about the Government’s plans to hand over of the Chagos Islands as well as billions of pounds.
The British Indian Ocean Territory includes a crucial naval base on land leased by the United States from the UK military. Since 1971. Only the atoll of Diego Garcia has been inhabited
Now the islands are set to be given to Mauritius, as well as £9bn. It is reported that this is to ensure that the military base under joint US-UK control for 99 years.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty MP appeared on Sky News and was asked what he thought about the mountain of cash.
He said: “Well there’s been a whole bunch of speculation about the finances, which I recognise.”
Sophy Ridge butted in, asking how much money the Government is forking out.
Mr Doughty said: “The details will be provided in due course of the deal. We said that we would provide those details with Parliament in due course.
“We obviously don’t normally as a routine comment on the costs of our bases overseas, and you’ll understand that.”
“But, just to be clear, the money is to pay for the base?” Ms Ridge enquired.
The minister said that the money is a “crucial part of the arrangement”.
The question was asked again by Ms Ridge as the British public is seeing the UK handing over land and “paying for the privilege”.
“We pay for basing arrangements around the world, and there are important costs on those,” the minister responded, adding that the Government “won’t skrimp” on the country’s national security.
“So, the money’s for the base?” Ms Ridge once more asked. She then had to put the question to Mr Doughty again.
Mr Doughty responded: “Yeah, we pay for basing all around the world. And we inheritted an unsustainable situation for the base from the previous administration.”
He then claimed that the arrangement is one that is good for the national security of Britain and its allies.
Yesterday, Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, claimed that the US President Donald Trump will impose tariffs on the UK because of the deal.
He said in the House of Commons: “[Trump] views tariffs as a transactional tool.
“The worry is that if the Chagos deal continues and when the Americans wake up to the lies they have been told by Jonathan Powell, that we will be included in the tariff regime that comes from the European Union.”
