Chaos as High Court STOPS Keir signing Chagos deal – hours before PM was due to hand British territory to Mauritius
SIR Keir Starmer’s giveaway of the Chagos Islands has been put on hold after a last-gasp court bid.
A High Court judge granted an injunction in the early hours preventing the Indian Ocean territory being handed to Mauritius.
The Prime Minister had been due to conclude its negotiations and take part in a virtual signing this morning in a deal thought to cost UK taxpayers £9 billion.
The court order was granted at 2:25am against the Foreign Office with Mr Justice Goose giving “interim relief” to Beatrice Pompe.
They had previously brought legal action over the deal.
Under the terms of the deal, Britain would give up sovereignty of the islands and lease back the Diego Garcia military base in a 99-year deal.
The Government said the Chagos Islands deal is the “right thing” for the UK after a court injunction temporarily blocked the agreement from being concluded.
A Government spokeswoman said: “We do not comment on ongoing legal cases. This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security.”
Senior Tory Robert Jenrick said the Chagos deal is a “bad deal” after a court injunction blocked it from being signed.
The shadow justice secretary told Sky News: “It’s a sell-out for British interests.
“You’re seeing British sovereign territory being given away to an ally of China, and billions of pounds of British taxpayers’ money being spent for the privilege.
“This was always a bad deal.
“Keir Starmer did it because of his view of international law, where he wanted to put a non-binding judgment by a foreign court above the interests, the core security interests of the British people.
“And so if this group can force the Government to think twice, then all power to them.”
Asked if he thought it was right for a High Court judge to get involved, Mr Jenrick said: “Well, I don’t know the arguments that have been presented to the court, so we’ll see later today.”