A Tory MP has rubbished “nonsense” claims that access to a key communications system could be put at risk without the Chagos deal.
Downing Street suggested the “electromagnetic spectrum” at the UK-US military base on the Chagos Islands, which “enables secure communications in the region”, would not be able to continue to operate without an agreement.
Britain plans to cede sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius but then pay to lease back the strategically important Diego Garcia base.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The very clear advice that we have is that the future operation of the base without a deal would be at risk.
“The base would be inoperable on current terms and it wouldn’t be able to operate as it should, which would mean it would be bad for our national security and a gift for our adversaries.”
He added: “For example, the electromagnetic spectrum at the Diego Garcia base would not be able to continue to operate without a deal.”
But former security minister Tom Tugendhat rejected the comments from No 10 amid ongoing fury over the deal.
Mr Tugendhat said on X: “As security minister I saw the advice on the Chagos Islands deal. This ‘explanation’ is nonsense.”
It comes after Sir Keir insisted that without a deal, national security could be at risk.
Responding to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s suggestions that the agreement amounted to an “immoral surrender”, the Prime Minister said Diego Garcia is “vital to our national security” but “a number of years ago the legal certainty of that base was thrown into doubt”.
“Without legal certainty, the base cannot operate in practical terms as it should,” he told MPs.
“That is bad for our national security and it’s a gift for our adversaries.”
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty also touched on the security of communications when he took questions from MPs on Wednesday.
He told the Commons: “We currently have unrestricted and sole access to the electromagnetic spectrum which is used to communicate with satellites, and which is guaranteed and governed by the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations body based in Geneva.
“If we lose it we can still communicate, but so can others.”
The Government has struck a deal with Mauritius to hand over the territory and lease back Diego Garcia at a reported cost of £90million a year – or almost £9billion over the 99-year term of the agreement. However, the Government has not confirmed any figure.