Fury as Trump signs off Starmer’s Chagos Islands handover in deal set to cost UK taxpayers BILLIONS
DONALD Trump has signed off Britain’s handover of the Chagos Islands — triggering fury over a deal set to cost UK taxpayers billions.
Downing Street confirmed yesterday that talks were in the final stretch after receiving the green light from the US President.
PM Keir Starmer’s spokesman said the UK was “working with the government of Mauritius to finalise and sign the treaty”.
Progress had stalled due to a change of the country’s government and Mr Trump’s team initially raising security concerns.
But it is now understood the deal will not be put back to the US once signed off by Mauritius.
Under the pact, Britain is expected to pay Mauritius £90million a year for 99 years to maintain a lease on the key military base at Diego Garcia.
Reform UK chief Nigel Farage blasted it as a “terrible deal for British taxpayers”, warning inflation could drive the total bill beyond £50billion.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said last night that Labour should face scrutiny in the Commons “over their deal to surrender the Chagos Islands and pay for the privilege”.
No10 gave no timeline for when the treaty will reach Parliament.
Trump had shown public backing for the deal in February during Sir Keir’s US visit — despite some of his allies raising concerns on the arrangement.