The Conservatives have raised repeated objections to the draft plan to hand over control of the islands to Mauritius, with the Diego Garcia base remaining under UK control on a 99-year lease, with some in the government also worried about the proposal.
Donald Trump has strongly hinted that he will back a deal in which the UK hands sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, including the Diego Garcia military base, which is jointly used by the US.
Starmer has argued that the talks with Mauritius, started under the last government, are vital to secure the future of the military base, given uncertainty about the future of UK control of the islands after international court rulings.
Speaking the day before, David Lammy, the UK foreign secretary, said Trump would have an effective veto over the plan, given the joint use of Diego Garcia.
‘I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country,’ president says of plan to hand sovereignty to Mauritius.
