Chagos deal definitely going ahead, minister signals, after suggestions of pause

The Government’s Chagos Islands deal is definitely going ahead, a minister has signalled, amid suggestions it could be paused following concerns from the Trump administration.

Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer told the Commons on Wednesday that the deal had been “paused”, although Government officials later said he misspoke.

Communities minister Alison McGovern went further than suggesting Mr Falconer had misspoke, and insisted the deal was going ahead when speaking to Times Radio on Thursday morning.

Asked if the deal was going ahead “100%”, she told the broadcaster: “Yes. My colleague the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has been talking to Marco Rubio, her opposite number in the US, about it. Foreign policy is never easy. We will make progress on the Chagos deal.”

The minister was not able to say when the Bill to ratify the handover of the islands to Mauritius would return to Parliament for further scrutiny.

Pressed whether she could say the deal was “categorically, definitely going to happen” by Times Radio, Ms McGovern replied: “Yes.”

Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Falconer said the US had backed the deal but that there had been a “very significant” statement from the American president since then.

Mr Trump has described the deal as a “big mistake” and urged Sir Keir Starmer: “Do not give away Diego Garcia.”

Under the plan, the UK will pay £34.7 billion in nominal terms over 99 years to secure use of the base.

But the agreement has faced significant criticism in both Westminster and the White House.

Mr Falconer told MPs: “There was support from the US administration for this treaty, which has not changed.

“There clearly has been a statement from the president of the United States more recently, which is very significant.”

He said the Government was “now discussing those concerns with the United States directly”.

Mr Falconer told the Commons: “We will 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.”

But a senior Government source told the Press Association that Mr Falconer “misspoke”.

The UK has acknowledged it will not proceed with the deal over the strategically vital base unless it has the support of the US.

A Government spokesman said: “There is no pause.

“We have never set a deadline. Timings will be announced in the usual way.

“We are continuing discussions with the US, and we have been clear we will not proceed without their support.”