Donald Trump’s administration will be consulted before any deal for the UK to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is finalised, Downing Street said.
Allies of the US president-elect have been critical of the deal because of the implications for the strategically important Diego Garcia military base.
The Mauritian government is seeking further concessions over the proposed deal and it is not now expected to be signed before Mr Trump enters the White House.
Diego Garcia in the Indian ocean is home to a strategically important military base (Alamy/PA)
Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam’s Cabinet did not sign off on the proposed deal on Wednesday and is instead sending a delegation back to London for more negotiations.
The UK plans to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius then lease back the Diego Garcia base, which is used by the US, at a reported cost of £90 million a year for 99 years.
The Government argues that international court rulings in favour of Mauritian sovereignty mean that a treaty settling the future of the archipelago is the only way to guarantee the continued operation of the base.
The Labour administration reached an agreement with Mr Ramgoolam’s predecessor, but the change of government in Mauritius and Mr Trump’s election in the US have stalled progress.
The president-elect’s pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, warned in October that the agreement posed “a serious threat” to US national security, while Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage, an ally of Mr Trump, has warned of “very deep disquiet” about the deal in the incoming administration.
Sir Keir Starmer defended the Chagos Islands plan at Prime Minister’s Questions (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA)
But Sir Keir Starmer defended the deal during Commons clashes with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
Sir Keir said: “We inherited a situation where the long-term operation of a vital military base was under threat because of legal challenge.
“The negotiations were started under the last government. The then foreign secretary came to this House to say why he was starting negotiations and what he wanted to achieve. He said the aim was to ‘ensure the continued effective operation of the base’.
“That is precisely what this deal has delivered.”
Mrs Badenoch said Sir Keir was “negotiating a secret deal to surrender British territory and taxpayers in this country will pay for the humiliation”.
Downing Street said it was “obviously now right” for Mr Trump’s administration to consider any deal.
“We will only agree to a deal that is in the UK’s best interests and protects our national security,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
He steered away from suggestions Mr Trump would now have a “veto” on the deal, and also said: “It is perfectly reasonable for the new US administration to actually consider the detail and we will obviously have those discussions with them.”
Kemi Badenoch said the Prime Minister wanted to ‘surrender British territory’ (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA)
A statement issued by the Mauritian government said the Cabinet had been “informed of developments” following attorney general Gavin Glover’s talks in London last week but had decided that negotiations should continue.
“The attorney general will travel again this evening in order to continue with the discussions in London.
“Upon his return, Cabinet will then be apprised of the situation.
“The commitment and resolve of Mauritius to reach an agreement and end this long battle for the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago remains unshaken.”
Mr Ramgoolam had previously told the Mauritian parliament that the UK wanted to conclude a deal before Mr Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “This is a complete humiliation for Keir Starmer and David Lammy and marks yet another failure of British diplomacy under Labour.
“Labour have been desperate to sign off the surrender of the Chagos Islands before President Trump returns to office, and the Mauritius government know.
“They see the weakness at the heart of this government and are trying to exploit it by pressuring Britain into paying more for an even weaker lease for the military base at Diego Garcia.
“While Labour have been hiding the details from us, we know they are prepared to blow billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money for the indignity of this dodgy deal, which will undermine our security and defence.
“It is high time they abandoned it altogether start focusing on how to strengthen our defence capabilities and get the economy growing.”