US EditionChagos Islands debate delayed as Tories call for halt to bill
The UK government postponed the bill after Tory concerns over treaty breaches and US criticism led to parliamentary opposition and fears for national security, officials said.
- On Monday, the government withdrew the planned House of Lords debate and said the bill will return at an unspecified later date, with Lord Kennedy, Chief Whip, setting timing in the next few weeks.
- The Conservative Party argued the bill would breach the 1966 Treaty and international law, urging ministers to secure United States agreement before the bill returns to the House of Lords.
- The deal would hand sovereignty to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia for 99 years, with the government paying �101m a year and creating a 24-mile construction buffer.
- The government accused House of Lords peers of 'irresponsible and reckless' interference, deepening the political row after US President Donald Trump called the agreement a 'great act of stupidity' on Tuesday.
- Diego Garcia military base hosts around 2,500 personnel and plays a strategic role, while Article 1 of the 1966 Treaty and ICJ rulings shape British government ministers' legal stance.
30 Articles
30 Articles
Friday, January 23, 2026, in the evening, the British House of Lords managed to force the British government to withdraw from the agenda the consideration of the Chagos retrocession bill to Mauritius. While the text had reached an advanced stage in the parliamentary process, the decision taken in London on Saturday caused a sharp misunderstanding on the Mauritian side.
The Wrath of Trump & Starmer Backs Off Surrender of Chagos
Last week, the PM signed a long-dreaded treaty that officially hands control of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius. He effectively ceded a strategically vital territory that is of interest to China. Making matters worse, once the treaty is ratified by MPs, the UK will pay Mauritius £101 million a year for the next 99 years […] The post The Wrath of Trump & Starmer Backs Off Surrender of Chagos appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.
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