Nigel Farage lobbied “high-level” members of the White House on the Chagos deal ahead of Andy Burnham’s first meeting with Donald Trump, a Reform UK insider has said.
Mr Farage, who offered to provide Mr Burnham his advice before he jetted off to New York, had conversations with Washington figures over the past week.
The Reform UK source revealed Mr Farage was hoping the issue would be discussed in Mr Burnham’s meeting with Mr Trump.
They told The Telegraph that the US President’s rejection of the deal had proved Mr Farage’s work had “paid off”.
In a blistering assessment of the “terrible” Chagos handover deal, Mr Trump told reporters last night: “Most of them say they have ownership.
“Somebody has ownership that never showed up before after decades and centuries. I think it’s ridiculous.”
He added: “It’s strategically very important. Very important.
“We had to send our B2 bombers when we bombed the Iran nuclear [sites], we had to send the B2 bombers back home to Missouri, as opposed to flying for a short period of time.
“They had to fly for a long period of time. It’s amazing how strategic it is, and I think the Prime Minister is going to be looking at it.”
After Mr Trump spoke out against the deal, the Prime Minister confirmed the handover agreement was under review.
Mr Farage had urged Mr Burnham to go into his first meeting with Mr Trump by taking a tough stance on the Chagos Islands.
“My advice would be simple”, the Reform UK leader told GB News on Monday.
“Start off by saying that we’re not going to give away the Chagos Islands to a Chinese influence, Mauritius.
“Get the meeting off to a good start, and then you can start to talk tough about the Falklands and other things.”
He added: “If Andy Burnham walks in there and says ‘we’re going to continue giving China massive influence over this’, well, there are two things really.
“One is the Diego Garcia base, the second, of course, is the Chagossian people. But I think frankly, he needs to say that’s not going to go ahead.”
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Wes Streeting insists Britons won’t be targeted for free speech despite ‘Orwellian’ fears over new information unit
A new unit being set up to tackle Russian information warfare will not be used for “policing domestic political dissent”, the Defence Secretary has said.
Wes Streeting was asked on GB News whether the national centre for information defence “could be weaponised to target British citizens who simply disagree” with the Government.
Mr Streeting replied: “One of the great things about Britain, and one of the things that I have a responsibility to defend, is the freedom and democracy that we all enjoy.
“And that includes the freedom to disagree, the freedom for people to challenge their government, to challenge government policy, to criticise robustly what we are doing and then to have the opportunity to choose a different government.
“That is a stark contrast to the position that our friends the Russian people endure under the political system that they suffer under.
“Russia is just one of a number of malign state and non-state actors that seek to threaten and disrupt our democracy, including through misinformation and disinformation.”
Mr Streeting added: “We’re not interested in policing domestic political dissent.”
Donald Trump brands Chagos surrender ‘terrible deal’ to PM’s face in withering assessment
Donald Trump has told Andy Burnham the Chagos Islands deal is “terrible” in the latest withering assessment of the giveaway from the US.
Speaking at a press conference following a bilateral meeting, the President confirmed outright he did not back the “surrender” – to Mr Burnham’s face.
“I don’t support it,” he said.
“Most of them say they have ownership. Somebody has ownership that never showed up before after decades and centuries. I think it’s ridiculous.”
He added: “It’s strategically very important. Very important. We had to send our B2 bombers when we bombed the Iran nuclear [sites], we had to send the B2 bombers back home to Missouri, as opposed to flying for a short period of time.
“They had to fly for a long period of time. It’s amazing how strategic it is, and I think the Prime Minister is going to be looking at it.”
Mr Burnham, speaking to reporters after the sit-down, appeared to blame Sir Keir Starmer for the issue.
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