Chagos handover is an 'act of great stupidity'

THE UK will press ahead with plans to hand the Chagos Islands and billions of pounds to Mauritius despite Donald Trump calling it an "act of great stupidity".

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The US president said ceding sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the Diego Garcia military base, to Mauritius was a sign of “total weakness” by the UK.

But No 10 insisted the US still supported the agreement, which is intended to provide a firm legal basis for the operation of the strategically important Diego Garcia facility.

Ministers have claimed the deal is necessary because international court rulings in favour of Mauritian claims to sovereignty had threatened the future of the base.