Shadow Foreign Minister Wendy Morton has said that the previous Conservative administration “halted talks” over the handover of the Chagos Islands, questioning Labour’s motive for re-starting negotiations.
Speaking on GB News, Morton claimed the Mauritians “have got the Labour Government over a barrel” by wanting “a shorter lease for more money”.
She questioned the Government’s haste in pursuing the agreement, stating: “Why the rush? Why sell off something that is ours?”
The Mauritian government today reaffirmed its stance on the sovereignty dispute, following a cabinet meeting under Prime Minister Navin Ramgoola’s leadership.
Wendy Morton hit out at Labour’s ‘rushed’ attempts to secure a deal on the Chagos Islands
PA / Reuters / GB News
In a statement, the cabinet declared their “commitment and resolve” to end the long-running disagreement “remains unshaken”.
The Attorney General of Mauritius, who recently visited London for treaty discussions, will return to the capital this evening for further negotiations with UK officials.
Morton elaborated on her concerns about the timing of negotiations, highlighting that the previous Conservative administration had halted talks.
“They were clearly stopped while we were in government. So, this now rests firmly with the new Government, with David Lammy the Foreign Secretary, and with the Prime Minister,” she said.
Starmer is said to want to get a deal before Trump retakes officePA/REUTERSThe Shadow Foreign Minister particularly criticised the handling of negotiations during the parliamentary recess.
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“This was so rushed through. It was rushed through during the recess, before we could even comment on it, on the cusp of a change in Government and Mauritius,” Morton told GB News.
She emphasised that pausing negotiations could have been an option: “If you are exploring something or looking at something, it doesn’t mean to say the principle is that you are going to sell them off.”
Labour MP Jo White defended the Government’s position, emphasising the need to prioritise national security.
“Our focus has to be on the security of the United Kingdom. The future of those islands is under a legal challenge,” White said during PMQs Live.
White defended the Labour Government, claiming that their priority is the ‘security of the United Kingdom’
GB News
She stressed the importance of swift action to protect British interests: “I feel we have to move quickly to ensure that base is there, protected for our future.”
White specifically cited concerns about the upcoming Trump presidency as a factor in the timing of negotiations.
When questioned about why discussions couldn’t wait until after Trump’s inauguration, she responded: “He’s too much of an unknown.”
“We’ve already seen how President Trump will be operating, and for us it’s steady as she goes,” White added.