Former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has branded the proposed Chagos Islands agreement “the worst deal in history” in a scathing attack on GB News.
The deal to transfer control of the strategic Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius has drawn fierce criticism over its reported cost.
“90 per cent of the British public oppose this surrender deal and the other 10 per cent just don’t know about it yet”, Jenrick said.
He slammed the Labour leader for failing to disclose the full cost to taxpayers, saying the reported price tag “is more than Mauritius’ entire GDP”.
Robert Jenrick lashed out at the move on GB News
GB NEWS
The controversial agreement would include a 99-year lease on the Diego Garcia military base at an annual cost of £90 million.
Jenrick launched a blistering attack on key figures behind the deal, singling out Phillipe Sands, whom he described as “one of Keir Starmer’s oldest friends and former colleagues”.
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The deal will see the UK hand over the Chagos Islands to MauritiusGetty“This is a man who has boasted about humiliating the UK in his legal work and then now representing the UK”, he said.
He also criticised Lord Hermer, describing him as “the man best known as Gerry Adams’ former lawyer”.
“These three men appear to be colluding to sell out Britain”, Jenrick claimed on GB News.
“This is such a bad deal. It defies all logic and common sense and I think it is nothing short of traitorous”, he added.
Robert Jenrick joined Patrick Christys on GB News
GB NEWS
Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam said Sir Keir Starmer remains “confident” a deal can be sealed “in the coming weeks”.
The agreement would give Mauritius a veto on extending the proposed 99-year lease on the Diego Garcia airbase.
David Lammy is expected to meet Donald Trump’s secretary of state later this month in an effort to keep the deal on track.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already challenged the Foreign Secretary over the terms of the handover.
Ramgoolam told the Mauritian National Assembly that Trump’s administration is currently reviewing the renegotiated agreement.
“President Trump is not a wolf. Let him see if the agreement is good or not”, the Mauritian leader said.
Jenrick warned that the deal poses significant strategic risks, particularly regarding China’s influence in the region.
“This is a strategically critical military base, both to the United Kingdom and the United States and Mauritius is an ally of China”, he said.
Critics, including senior figures in the Trump administration, have cautioned that the handover could weaken Western influence in the Indian Ocean.
However, sources note that Mauritius is one of only two African nations not to have signed up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and maintains close ties to India.
“In an age of global competition between the West and China, this is a bad, bad proposition”, Jenrick concluded.