Nigel Farage has demanded a referendum on Sir Keir Starmer’s “rotten” Chagos Islands deal.
Reform UK’s leader wants the Government to ask the Chagossians who should have sovereignty over the islands
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Farage said: “The presentation of what the American administration believes is a fantasy. Joe Biden is going, in fact many think he’s gone already.
“I’ve been contacted by very senior officials and advisers from the incoming Republican administration and every single one of them is appalled at this deal, they know the leasehold agreement will not survive, just as the deal with China over Hong Kong didn’t survive.
“Hasn’t the time come for the Government to admit this is a rotten deal for the UK, a rotten deal for America and an even worse deal for the Chagossians?
“And if you care so much about the sovereignty of the Falklands being in the hands of the Falkland Islanders, why not have a referendum of the Chagossians and ask them to settle who should have sovereignty over those islands?”
Defence Minister Luke Pollard claimed the deal was “strongly supported” by the United States and protected the long-term future of the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.
Responding to the urgent question on Monday, he added that there would be safeguards to prevent China gaining a foothold in the area.
Earlier, the defence minister had said: “The agreement secures the effective operation on a joint facility on Diego Garcia well into the next century, the agreement is strongly supported by our closest friends and allies, including the United States.
“It has been supported by all relevant US departments and agencies following a rigorous scrutiny process…
“There will be clear commitment in the treaty to robust security arrangements, including arrangements preventing the presence of foreign security forces on the outer islands so that the base can continue to operate securely and effectively.
“The operation of the base will continue unchanged, with strong protections from malign influence. For the first time in 50 years, the base will be undisputed and legally secure.”
Chagossians were forced to leave the central Indian Ocean territory by 1973 to make way for the military base.
The expulsions are regarded as one of the most shameful parts of Britain’s modern colonial history and Chagossians have spent decades fighting to return to the islands.
The United Nations’ highest court, the International Court of Justice, previously ruled the UK’s administration of the territory was “unlawful” and must end.
