Chagos Islands should be sold to the US not ‘corrupt Mauritius’ – Farage

Nigel Farage told the Commons he would rather hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to the US, as opposed to “corrupt Mauritius”.

The Reform UK leader also listed colonial-guilt as one of the reasons the agreement to cede the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius is being sought.

During a debate on the British Indian Ocean Territory, Mr Farage argued the UK should sell the territory and “get a few billion quid”.

“So why are we doing it? Why? Well, I guess, of course, post-colonial guilt, a Government run by human rights lawyers,” the Clacton MP said.

He added: “I would love to see the American administration veto this terrible deal, but I’m not even sure then that this Government will move its position.

“They are clearly hellbent on giving away the Chagos Islands, whatever the risks to global security, whatever the risks to our own budgetary constraints, and having ignored completely the will of the majority of the Chagossian people.

“If that’s the case, I would rather see America have the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands than a corrupt Mauritius.”

He continued: “If we’re going to give this up, let’s sell. Let’s sell, let’s get a few billion quid for the… Chagos Islands.

“Mauritius has no legal basis, no legal claim. And you know what? Investment would come, the Chagossians could go back and get well paid jobs.

“I want us to keep sovereignty, but if you’re prepared to give away this country’s interest, sell it to America. Don’t give it away to corrupt Mauritius.”

Foreign Office minister Anneliese Dodds told MPs a legally-binding international judgment against UK sovereignty in the Chagos Islands is “inevitable” without a deal.

She said a deal is “necessary”, adding: “This deal will ensure the continued, uninterrupted operation of the base on Diego Garcia well into the next century.

“It will cement UK and US presence in the Indo-Pacific for generations to come, and I haven’t heard a single suggestion in her lengthy speech about how she would secure that base at all.”

Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel suggested Britain’s enemies are “rubbing their hands with glee” at the prospect of an uncertain future for the Diego Garcia UK-US military base.

Referring to a potential lease on the base, Dame Priti asked: “What happens if we want to extend and Mauritius does not? What will happen to the base, to the equipment under these circumstances?

“What if, at the end of 99 years, the price that Mauritius asks is too high? If we cannot unilaterally extend the lease, then guess what? We’ve lost control.

“The Labour Government may not realise this but Mauritius knows it very, very well, the British taxpayer knows this extremely well, and of course, our enemies know this, and they’re sitting back and watching, rubbing their hands with glee because on all the key negotiation points, Labour have backed down and Britain is losing control.”

Asked why she was criticising a deal when the Tories started the negotiations, Dame Priti said: “It’s not the Conservative Party that’s putting forward a surrender deal. We’re not surrendering our territory or sovereignty in any way whatsoever.”

Dame Priti moved a Commons motion which asked the Government to release a chronology of the negotiations between the UK Government and Mauritius since July 4 last year, and to confirm the accuracy of recent updates made by the Mauritius prime minister on the terms of the deal.

It also asked ministers to explain how the deal will be funded, the involvement of Attorney General Lord Hermer and details on why the Government sought to accelerate negotiations.

MPs voted 298 to 147, majority 151, to reject a Conservative Party motion calling for greater transparency on the Chagos Islands negotiations.