Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to defy Donald Trump on the Chagos Islands after vowing to secure a deal with Mauritius for the Indian Ocean archipelago, a No10 spokesman has suggested.
Allies of the 47th President fear handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius could threaten national security, with both China and Iran expected to make the most of a friendly outpost in the Indian Ocean.
Despite stalling the proposed deal until after Trump’s inauguration, Starmer now looks set to push ahead with an agreement.
After the Prime Minister spoke to his Mauritian counterpart Navin Ramgoolam this afternoon, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The leaders began by reflecting on their first months in office and discussed the strong relationship between the UK and Mauritius, which they looked forward to expanding.
“The Prime Minister underlined the need for a deal to secure the military base on Diego Garcia that ensures strong protections, including from malign influence, and that will allow the base to continue to operate.
“Both leaders reiterated their commitment to a deal, and they looked forward to speaking again soon.”
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