Keir Starmer’s flimsy excuse for the Chagos deal

The government has defended its controversial decision to relinquish control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius with an excuse so far-fetched it could be mistaken for a plot from a spy novel gone wrong. According to reports in the Telegraph, Starmer’s administration claims that the deal is necessary to secure the viability of the military base on Diego Garcia, citing potential disruptions in telecommunications due to ‘legal uncertainty’ over the islands’ sovereignty. The Telegraph claimed that one of the Prime Minister’s closest friends, Philippe Sands KC, who has represented Mauritius in the dispute, was the original source of these ‘national security’ claims. The UK is reportedly trying to give away the islands to Mauritius and then lease back the joint US/UK military base at a reported cost of £9 billion over 99 years. 

Starmer’s official spokesperson has said that the ‘electromagnetic spectrum’ at Diego Garcia, crucial for secure communications, might not function without this deal, suggesting that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) could impose restrictions based on international legal judgments.