Starmer Faces UK Cabinet Disquiet Over Chagos Deal

The UK's decision to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining control of the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia has sparked controversy and disquiet within the UK Cabinet. The deal, announced in October 2024, has been criticized by some members of the Conservative Party, who argue that it undermines national security and weakens the UK's strategic position in the Indian Ocean.

The Chagos Islands, a British overseas territory in the middle of the Indian Ocean, are home to the UK-US naval base on Diego Garcia, which is crucial for countering malign activity in the Middle East and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. The UK's decision to hand over sovereignty to Mauritius while retaining control of the base has been criticized by some, who argue that it creates a vacuum that China could exploit, potentially strengthening its influence in the region.

The UK has agreed to pay Mauritius £90 million a year as part of the deal, which works out at £9 billion in total over 99 years. However, the Mauritian prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, has suggested that the deal could end up costing the UK £18 billion due to inflation. This financial burden could strain the UK's budget and potentially lead to cuts in other areas, affecting the UK's ability to maintain its military and other commitments.

The deal has also been criticized by some in the US, including Republican senator John Kennedy and incoming US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who have expressed concerns that ceding control of the islands could weaken US influence in the Indian Ocean and strengthen the reach of China. This could potentially strain the UK-US special relationship, making it more difficult for the UK to secure favorable trade deals or military cooperation with the US in the future.

The UK's decision to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite the presence of a joint UK-US military base, could also be seen as a sign of weakness by other international partners. This could potentially undermine the UK's international standing and make it more difficult for the UK to pursue its foreign policy objectives.

The deal has been criticized by the Conservative Party, with shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick accusing Keir Starmer of "traitorous levels of national sabotage." This could potentially lead to political instability in the UK, making it more difficult for the UK to pursue its foreign policy objectives.

In conclusion, the Chagos Islands deal has sparked controversy and disquiet within the UK Cabinet, with critics arguing that it undermines national security, weakens the UK's strategic position in the Indian Ocean, and creates a financial burden that could strain the UK's budget. The deal has also raised concerns about the potential for China to exploit the resulting vacuum and the potential strain on the UK-US special relationship. The UK's decision to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite the presence of a joint UK-US military base, could also be seen as a sign of weakness by other international partners, potentially undermining the UK's international standing and making it more difficult for the UK to pursue its foreign policy objectives.