Newly-Elected Prime Minister of Mauritius Orders Review of Britain’s Chagos Deal in Setback to Sovereignty Plans Over US-UK Military Base Archipelago

Labour’s deal to give up the Chagos Islands suffered a fresh setback as the prime minister of Mauritius ordered a review into the agreement.

Navin Ramgoolam’s administration is on course to take over sovereignty of the Indian Ocean cluster of islands, which includes the Diego Garcia military base used by the US and the UK.

Sir Keir Starmer‘s deal, which would bring to an end 200 years of the archipelago being under British control, has been dogged by issues ever since Labour announced the agreement last month.

Mr Ramgoolam only came to power this month, but has already hit out at the deal signed by his predecessor.

During his election campaign, Mr Ramgoolam and his allies accused the then-prime minister Pravind Jugnauth of ‘high treason’ and described the agreement as a ‘sell-out’ motivated by desperation.

Labour’s deal to give up the Chagos Islands suffered a fresh setback as Navin Ramgoolam, the prime minister of Mauritius, ordered a review into the agreement

Sir Keir Starmer’s deal, which would bring to an end 200 years of the archipelago being under British control, has been dogged by issues ever since Labour announced it last month

Navin Ramgoolam’s administration is on course to take over sovereignty of the Indian Ocean cluster of islands, which includes the Diego Garcia military base used by the US and the Uk

This week, Mr Ramgoolam said he ‘would like to have more time to study all the details of the agreement with a panel of legal advisers’.

Yesterday he asked for an independent review of the confidential draft agreement with Britain.

Prime minister Ramgoolam has yet to outline his concerns over the deal, which includes the 99-year lease of Diego Garcia.

Labour has come in for heavy criticism since it agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to China-ally Mauritius amid fears the move could potentially strengthen Beijing’s influence.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said it would be good for national security.

Labour has come in for heavy criticism since it agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to China-ally Mauritius amid fears the move could potentially strengthen Beijing’s influence

Foreign Secretary David Lammy however had said the deal would be good for national security