CHAGOS 'SURRENDERED'
Keir Starmer signs £3.4bn Chagos deal handing British territory to Mauritius after High Court injunction lifted
The deal is thought to cost UK taxpayers £3.4 billion
SIR KEIR Starmer has agreed a deal signing away sovereignty of the Chagos Islands - costing taxpayers £3.4 billion.
The Prime Minister finally concluded negotiations with Mauritius in an agreement that will cost £101 million a year following a last-ditch court bid to derail it.
This new deal allows the strategically important UK Diego Garcia base to be in operation for at least the next 100 years.
The giveaway of the Chagos Islands has been given the green light after a last minute injunction was lifted.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch blasted: "Chagos has been ours since 1814. It hosts a vital military base.
"Surrendering it to Mauritius is an act of national self-harm. It leaves us more exposed to China, and ignores the will of the Chagossian people. AND WE'RE PAYING BILLIONS TO DO SO!"
A High Court judge had granted an injunction in the early hours preventing the Indian Ocean territory being handed to Mauritius.
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Sir Keir said: "Almost everything we do from the base is in partnership with the US.
"President Trump has welcomed the deal along with other allies, because they see the strategic importance of this base and that we cannot cede the ground to others who would seek to do us harm."
Sir Keir said the Government had to "act now" as the Mauritians would likely win legal disputes against the UK.
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He added: "If Mauritius took us to court again, which they certainly would have, the UK's longstanding legal view is that we would not have a realistic prospect of success and would likely face provisional measures orders within a matter of weeks."
He added that Diego Garcia base is essential for UK defence matters such as anti-terror operations.
Sir Keir added that the US was paying the running costs of the base that were far higher than the UK outlay.
It comes after Mr Justice Chamberlain has ruled that the controversial handover can go ahead, saying: "I have concluded the stay should be lifted. And there should be no further interim relief."
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.
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"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."
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