Nigel Farage piles pressure on US to kill off Labour’s Chagos islands surrender deal as he travels to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida
Nigel Farage is set to intensify his push on the United States to abandon Labour’s plan for the Chagos islands’ handover, during his visit to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The Reform UK leader emphasized the need to challenge the agreement, which would transfer the Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius while allowing the UK to retain the airbase for £35 billion.
Reinforcing the message at Trump’s retreat
Farage, who was scheduled to attend a dinner at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, stated he would ‘reinforce the message’ that Sir Keir Starmer’s proposal is the ‘worst deal in history.’ The plan, he argued, is ‘dreadful from every perspective’ and represents an ‘absolute betrayal’ of strategic interests.
‘President Trump has almost understood the deal, almost, but I will be dining at Mar-a-Lago tomorrow night and will reinforce the message. It was the worst deal in history, dreadful from every perspective, an absolute betrayal of so many things,’ Farage said before departing for the US.
Legal challenges and strategic concerns
A new legal hurdle for Sir Keir Starmer emerged as Mauritius announced intentions to sue Britain over the delayed ratification of the controversial deal. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam hinted at pursuing legal avenues, adding pressure on the UK government.
‘We are exploring legal avenues in the Chagos case,’ Ramgoolam stated, highlighting the potential for legal action against the UK.
US political backlash and security risks
Meanwhile, senior US politicians warned of the deal’s implications for national security. Senator Ted Cruz, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, expressed alarm over the UK’s plan, claiming it would ‘jeopardise US national security by exposing military operations to China and potentially restricting military access to Diego Garcia.’
‘The UK is taking a serious gamble with the special relationship by putting one of our most vital shared military assets at risk,’ Cruz said.
Frank Garcia, Trump’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, echoed these concerns. He pledged to advocate for long-term UK-US agreements, stressing the importance of the Diego Garcia base.
‘If confirmed, I commit to working with the committee to look at the issues with regard to our agreements, long-term agreements with the UK to share basing opportunities there,’ Garcia added.
Reform UK’s own attempt to claim the islands
Farage’s efforts were preceded by his personal attempt to reach the Chagos islands last month. The move underscored his commitment to challenging the Labour-led plan, even as Downing Street remained silent on the matter. Government sources, however, asserted there is no legal foundation for Mauritius to seek compensation for delays in the agreement’s approval.
Defending the strategic alliance
Sir Keir’s spokesperson defended the deal, stating: ‘Maintaining control of Diego Garcia is the entire basis for the agreement that we’ve reached. To maintain our control protects against legal challenges and locks out our adversaries from being able to compromise its operation.’
‘It is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US that’s enabled our shared security for nearly 60 years. It is the only way to ensure that the base remains secure and operational for the long term,’ the spokesperson said.
