It would be “very, very odd” if the UK acted “unilaterally” when it comes to the deal over the Chagos Islands, a Cabinet minister has said, after the Foreign Secretary said it would not go ahead without the backing of Donald Trump.
Asked whether Mr Trump was in control of UK foreign policy given Wednesday’s comments from Mr Lammy, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle told Times Radio: “The Chagos Islands have always been a military base for the UK and the US.”.
Mr Kyle described the “security relationship and the intelligence relationship between the US and the UK” as a “crucial part of our special relationship”, and went on: “It would be very, very odd if we acted unilaterally when it has actually always been a bilateral arrangement which has been pivoted into the Chagos Islands.”.
Asked by ITV’s Peston programme if the US leader had a veto on the agreement, Mr Lammy replied: “If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.
Speaking from the US, he had earlier said the UK’s military and intelligence was “very intertwined with the United States”, adding: “We struck a deal.
