Last month Guido related how yet another Foreign Office mission to Mauritius – seeking to revive the dead Starmer giveaway – was forced on the British taxpayer. Officials lived it up in sunny Port Louis, lovely work if you can get it…
Now exactly four weeks on from the beginning of those in-person negotiations Guido is told by well-placed sources that the process remains in a “total stalemate” – and crucially, the White House remains resolute in its opposition. The Mauritius government is furious that the deal was frustrated, the Deputy Prime Minister since resigned, and the bilateral dialogue has become nothing more than a “talking shop”…
With the Diego Garcia Bill left out of the King’s Speech there is no prospect of a concerted effort to revive the deal in this session, as it stands. The summer we saved Chagos is finally here…
Per senior US sources, the Americans see no benefit in reopening their own position while the Labour leadership is in flux at the very least. Starmer positioned himself as a master international dealmaker, Guido had other plans…
The government of Mauritius has said it is “tired of relying on the goodwill of others” and will “escalate matters” within months if it is not handed sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. Without that cash from British taxpayers how can Mauritius abolish income tax?
The Attorney-General of Mauritius Gavin Glover has told local broadcasters:
“Mauritius will not remain passive. We are tired of relying on the goodwill of others. For now, we are waiting until June, but after that, we will escalate matters. We have been receiving legal advice since December 2025, and we will see what happens in June or July, as the FCDO has indicated that developments are expected. However, if nothing materialises after that, we will proceed to court.“
Mauritian media reports that a team from the FCDO is set to arrive in Port Louis on 22nd April for discussions with the Mauritian government. Its officials are engaged in furious parallel diplomatic efforts with the United States: “a Mauritian ministerial delegation in Washington, including among others the Minister of Industry and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will try to engage in discussions with the American authorities on this matter.” Why is the Foreign Office wasting yet more time and taxpayers’ money pursuing this dead deal?
Mauritian politicians have been raging at the Chagos Deal’s pause in recent days, claiming that they “will spare no effort to seize any diplomatic or legal avenue to complete the decolonisation process.” The blob will stop at nothing to get Starmer’s Chagos deal back on the agenda…
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Supreme Court has ruled that Chagossians hold a lawful Right of Abode in the Chagos Archipelago. In a huge blow to Starmer…
The eviction notices are quashed. This causes issues for the treaty signed but not ratified with Mauritius, which operates on the assumption that there is no resident population on the island. Newsflash – there is…
FCDO minister Hamish Falconer provided the government’s response to an urgent question from Nigel Farage on the Chagos Islands:
“I can assure this house nothing in the treaty has changed since the US administration gave their original endorsement of the deal, and we continue to work with Mauritius and the United States.
The UK Government has great sympathy for the Chagossian community. They feel a deep emotional connection with these islands. We have been clear in our regrets for the manner in which Chagossians were forcibly removed from the islands in the 60s and the 70s. We’re working to resume a programme of heritage visits for members of that community.
Mr Speaker, we will continue to work with both Mauritius and the United States on this agreement. As the prime minister has said, we have very close relations with the United States.
We have a process going through parliament in relation to the treaty. We will bring that back to parliament at the appropriate time. We are pausing for discussions with our American counterparts.”
On ice…
Philippe Sands – Starmer’s close friend who has acted for Mauritius on the Chagos case for many years – has today said that the deal proposes no risk of Chinese expansion because Mauritius won’t do anything without India’s permission. Sands claimed the deal was “a win-win for everyone.” Not least himself seeing as he was paid out of a pot of over £8 million…
Sands falsely claimed to an obsequious James O’Brien on LBC that the Chagos archipelago is “now part of the sovereignty of Mauritius.” He also said the fate of the islands is up to India now:
“I mean, if the International Court of Justice had given its ruling and it hadn’t been followed, then there would have just been uncertainty and insecurity and a lack of stability. And that is the kind of vacuum into which others insert themselves. But the reality is, if you’ve been to Mauritius, it’s a country whose closest, you know, colleague is India. It doesn’t do anything without India giving the get-go, and saying yes, you can do that. India’s been deeply involved in these negotiations, and there’s no way India is going to allow Mauritius to give any of its islands, and it’s got plenty to give away if it wanted to, to China. So the Chinese thing, frankly, is a bit of a red herring.”
At least Sands is reassured…
In other news Sands was recently disqualified as an arbitrator from hearing a Cypriot-owned oil company’s claim against Turkmenistan due to a conflict of interest. Embarrassing…
Justice James Lewis – chief justice of the British Indian Ocean territory – has granted a temporary injunction to prevent the forced removal of those Chagossians who have landed back on the archipelago. Led by their first minister Misley Mandarin…
Lewis said:
“There is no doubt the balance of convenience falls on the side of the claimants (the islanders). They are 120 miles from Diego Garcia and pose no threat to national security on the evidence before me.
If they are deported they will have great difficulties in returning. In my judgment the claimants have made out their application in the light of no response or engagement by the commissioner.
It follows that I grant a temporary injunction against the enforcement of the s.12 (removal) notices. This injunction will remain in place for seven days to allow the defendants to file a response.
In the absence of a response the injunction will remain in force until determination of the judicial review application. At the expiry of seven days I will make further order if the defendant files a response.”
The Chagossians continue to pursue available legal avenues to challenge the Chagos surrender deal – all while Trump puts a new block on it. Now they can get on with re-establishing a permanent settlement…
Read the full temporary injunction below:
Continue reading “Judge Blocks Government Removal of Chagos Islanders”
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”