The Chagos surrender deal is in complete chaos. Yesterday the Mauritian PM announced he had managed to get significant additional concessions out of the UK government on Chagos. Ramgoolam said the new deal he had managed to get frontloaded payments from the UK and linked them to inflation, as well as imposing the requirement for a Mauritian veto on any possible 40-year extension on the UK’s lease of Diego Garcia. Trigger complete panic mode in Whitehall…
Downing Street refused to comment on the possibility that the UK could now pay £18 billion to hand over Chagos – the FCDO then put out a punchy statement overnight saying Ramgoolam’s claims were “entirely inaccurate and misleading.” Starmer defended the deal at PMQs by suggesting that there was some secret national security reason for handing the base of which Badenoch hadn’t bothered to apprise herself. At a subsequent briefing it was clarified this related to the advisory ICJ ruling – no detail was provided on whether there was new legal advice since Labour came to power. Cameron saw the advice and killed the deal…
Now the Mauritians have issued a communique, no doubt under pressure from panicking officials in the UK, clarifying Ramgoolam’s grandstanding. It claims “Mauritius has never said that the financial package in the agreement between Mauritius and the UK on the Chagos Archipelago had doubled” and new negotiations “have clarified and firmed up the unequivocal understanding that any extension would need to have the consent of Mauritius and the UK.“ A partial rollback…
In the meantime government insiders are finally starting to brief against the deal itself after realising how bad it looks and are pointing the finger at international law-obsessed Richard Hermer. The Chagos deal has become a constantly exploding catherine wheel – all while the actual decision sits with Team Trump over in DC. You have to laugh…
Read the Mauritian communique below:
COMMUNIQUE
“The Government of the Republic of Mauritius has taken cognizance of press reports this morning in the UK and wishes to bring the following clarifications:
Mauritius has never said that the financial package in the agreement between Mauritius and the UK on the Chagos Archipelago had doubled as alleged;
Mauritius confirms that yesterday in Parliament, the Prime Minister stated that the previous agreement with the previous Mauritian Prime Minister was not in the best interests of Mauritius and that following negotiations, the parties had agreed on an improved agreement on mutually acceptable terms;
Mauritius confirms that yesterday in Parliament, the Prime Minister stated that the previous agreement with the previous Mauritian Prime Minister was not in the best interests of Mauritius and that following negotiations, the parties had agreed on an improved agreement on mutually acceptable terms;
As regards duration, Mauritius confirms that the agreement has always been for a period of 99 years, with the possibility of an extension for a further period of 40 years. The negotiations carried out by the present Government have clarified and firmed up the unequivocal understanding that any extension would need to have the consent of Mauritius and the UK;
Mauritius reiterates its commitment to finalizing the agreement and is committed to sign the said agreement.”
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”