A high-ranking government official has mentioned that the UK is working on addressing issues with Donald Trump regarding the Chagos Islands agreement.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged a change in stance from Washington after the initial US agreement.
Formerly supporting the deal, Mr. Trump altered his position in January, criticizing the sovereignty transfer as “an act of GREAT STUPIDITY” in a social media post.
Due to the lack of formal approval from the US and time constraints as the parliamentary session nears its end, the UK has put the plans on hold.
A new Chagos bill is not anticipated to be part of the upcoming King’s Speech, although officials assert that the deal has not been completely abandoned.
When questioned about the status of the Chagos deal, Mr. Streeting stated that it is not “dead” and emphasized ongoing discussions with the US to ensure the islands’ long-term security aligning with British and American interests.
The proposed agreement involved the UK transferring the Chagos Islands, including the strategically important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, to Mauritius, with the UK leasing back the base at an average annual cost of £101 million.
Critics, including Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, have strongly opposed the deal, pressuring the Government to scrap it.
In response to critics, Mr. Streeting highlighted the Conservatives’ change in position on the deal and criticized Farage’s actions, questioning his patriotism.
Both the Tories and Reform UK welcomed the shelving of the deal.
Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Lord Simon McDonald explained on BBC Radio 4 that the government had to shelve the deal due to the US President’s hostility, emphasizing the need to comply with international law and maintain the UK-US relationship.
The agreement is now on hold until further notice, given the current circumstances.