The UK government has been compelled to abandon its plans to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius following a withdrawal of support from the United States regarding the agreement.
On Friday, officials from the UK government conceded that they lack sufficient time to enact the necessary legislation before the conclusion of the current parliamentary session, which is set to end in the coming weeks.
This recent development represents a significant obstacle in the UK’s efforts to relinquish control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which currently hosts a joint military base for the US and UK at Diego Garcia. The situation reflects a deterioration in relations between the US and UK, particularly after former President Donald Trump criticized Labour leader Keir Starmer regarding his approach to the conflict in Iran.
Trump has previously expressed his disapproval of the proposed plan, which received backing from the US State Department. He warned Starmer that he would be “making a big mistake” by transferring sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius in exchange for the continued use of the military base.
Despite this, Trump had earlier referred to the proposal as the “best” arrangement available for the Prime Minister under the circumstances, and he even supported the handover during Starmer’s visit to the White House last year.
The arrangement stipulates that the UK would transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing the largest island, Diego Garcia, for a duration of 99 years to maintain the military base operations.
However, the US has not formally engaged in amending a 1966 treaty between the UK and US concerning the islands, which is believed to have prompted the UK to withdraw its legislative proposal.
Consequently, a new bill regarding the Chagos Islands is not anticipated to be included in the King’s Speech in May, which outlines the government’s agenda for the upcoming parliamentary session.
In February, reports suggested that Trump reconsidered his support for the deal due to the UK’s refusal to allow the use of its airbases for a pre-emptive strike against Iran.
Last month, Iran targeted the joint military base after issuing warnings that British lives were at risk, following Starmer’s authorization for US strikes from British bases.
At that time, Hamish Falconer, a minister in the Foreign Office and a former diplomat, informed MPs that discussions with American officials were temporarily halted, and that the legislative process regarding the treaty would be revisited at a suitable time.
Starmer has permitted US forces to utilize UK bases, including Diego Garcia, exclusively for defensive operations against Iran. Recently, he has faced mounting pressure to restrict access after Trump threatened that a “whole civilization” would perish if Iran did not comply with his demands, although a ceasefire was subsequently reached.
To clarify Falconer’s remarks, the Foreign Office stated that there is no pause or established deadline, and that announcements regarding the timing would be made “in the usual way.”
The government has been contacted for further comment.
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