Labour has doubled down on the Chagos deal, despite growing pressure from Donald Trump after he took to social media this morning to slam the deal as an “act of total weakness”.
Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, was probed by GB News’s Christopher Hope, who asked whether the deal could be reconsidered.
The Labour MP replied: “We have secured [the Chagos Islands] as a military base for the next century, because the sovereignty of the island is being challenged.
“But we agreed it was important for our security capabilities in the world, including for our Nato partners, which includes the United States, we needed to find a way through that protected that.
“That was done, and it was welcomed by the American administration when we did it.
“The treaty has been signed, and so there will be no change on the Chagos Islands.”
Labour’s defence of the deal came as US President Donald Trump branded ceding sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the Diego Garcia military base, to Mauritius an “act of great stupidity”.
He referenced long-held fears that the base could be under threat of Chinese espionage due to close economic ties between Beijing and Mauritius.
Labour’s Darren Jones has fiercely defended the Government’s Chagos deal
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“Shockingly, our ‘brilliant’ Nato ally, the United Kingdom, is currently planning to give away the Island of Diego Garcia, the site of a vital US Military Base, to Mauritius, and to do so FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER,” he fumed on Truth Social.
Mr Trump continued: “These are international powers who only recognise STRENGTH, which is why the United States of America, under my leadership, is now, after only one year, respected like never before.
“The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of national security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.
“Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
US President branded the deal an ‘act of great stupidity’ in a volcanic Truth Social post
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“There is no doubt that China and Russia have noticed this act of total weakness,” he added.
Mr Trump had previously welcomed the agreement with Mauritius as a “monumental achievement” which the US viewed as securing the long-term future of the Diego Garcia facility.
However, President Trump is not the only critic of the deal.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Thank goodness Trump has vetoed the surrender of the Chagos Islands.”
Fears have long been raised that the base could be under threat of Chinese espionage due to close economic ties between Beijing and Mauritius
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Meanwhile, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch admitted that “unfortunately, on this issue President Trump is right”.
“This is surrendering British territory with a strategic military base on it for no reason whatsoever. It weakens our country.
“It is not in the national interest. It is a good deal for China and Russia, and the worst part is we’re paying £35billion of reparations to give away territory which we bought in the 1960s. That is wrong.”
The Tory leader continued: “President Trump has made some decisions which I agree with and others which I disagree with. What matters is what is in the British national interest. If President Trump does something that is great for us in the UK, I will agree. If he does things which are not good for the UK, I will disagree.”