Starmer faces ‘humiliation' as Chagos deal may collapse

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned that he faces “total humiliation” on the world stage with his plans to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on the brink of collapse in the next 48 hours.

- DAVID MADDOX, MILLIE COOKE

With Sir Keir’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell heading to the US in a late bid to dissuade Donald Trump from vetoing the controversial deal, doubts have now also been raised by the new prime minister of Mauritius, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who has expressed doubts about the deal struck with his predecessor.

After a meeting with Mr Powell earlier this week, Mr Ramgoolam said: “I informed them that I wished to have more time to study the details with a panel of legal advisers.”

Previously he had described it as “high treason and a sellout” because the UK and US would still be allowed to use an airbase on the islands in the Indian Ocean.

The new Mauritian government’s first cabinet meeting will take place tomorrow, when they are expected to look at whether to continue with the deal which is due to be completed next summer, leaving the entire agreement on the brink. However, even if they do agree to stick with it, Mr Trump’s team are hardening their opposition to what they consider to be a major security risk for the West.

The UK prime minister and his foreign secretary David Lammy have insisted that they had no choice but to hand over the islands, including Diego Garcia where the UK and US have their major airforce base, to Mauritius because of a ruling by the International Court of Justice.