The Prime Minister has, on several occasions, suggested that our state adversaries oppose the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius - despite public endorsements of the agreement by China, Russia, and Iran.
According to Annex 1, paragraph 1(b)(i) of the UK-Mauritius Treaty: "As to this Annex, the United Kingdom agrees to expeditiously inform Mauritius of any armed attack on a third State directly emanating from the Base on Diego Garcia."
Despite this, the Minister accused Shadow Minister Andrew Rosindell M.P. of being misinformed, even though the Treaty itself lacks clarity on several key points.
There are numerous flaws in the Treaty - not least the Government’s failure to consult the Chagossians, the original inhabitants of the islands. Andrew Rosindell will continue to oppose this deal at every turn.
Labour’s surrender of British sovereignty has been welcomed by China, Russia and Iran, and now we learn that the UK will have to notify Mauritius of any military operations coming from Diego Garcia, jeopardising our national security. Far from upholding our international obligations, this treaty is a shameful betrayal of British Chagossians, with no guarantee of access to the Mauritian-controlled £40 million trust fund and British taxpayers forking out £30 billion to subsidise tax cuts in Mauritius. Why will the Government not allow this House a proper debate and a vote before next week’s 21-day deadline under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010? Should we not keep the Chagos islands British and under the protection of the Crown? Would that not be a better policy?
Andrew Rosindell M.P., Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Half of the hon. Gentleman’s question was rhetoric and half of it was completely wrong. He might want to consider correcting the record on a number of points. We do not have to inform Mauritius before undertaking military action from the base; that relates to expedition information after actions, so there is no fettering of our ability to operate from there. The costs he quoted were simply wrong. It is £101 million averaged over the course of the deal, and the net present value of the payments is £3.4 billion. All sorts of wild figures have been posted around, but they do not reflect the reality. This has been considered by the Government Actuary. I would really have hoped, given the wide geopolitical threats that this country and our allies face at the moment, that he would come up with some more serious questions.
Stephen Doughty M.P., Minister of State for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories
