BREAKING: Starmer Pulls Chagos Bill Following Trump Backlash
Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to pull his Chagos Island Bill in the wake of an American backlash over the deal, leaving the treaty’s fate hanging in the balance. The Telegraph has the story.
The legislation was expected to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday, but was delayed on Friday night after the Conservatives warned it could violate a 60 year-old treaty with America enshrining British sovereignty over the archipelago.
It comes after Donald Trump turned against the Chagos deal earlier this week, saying that Britain’s plan to hand the Indian Ocean territory ot Mauritius was “an act of great stupidity”.
Donald Trump posted a rebuke of Starmer’s plans on Truth Social on January 20th
Under the terms of Sir Keir’s deal, the UK will give up the archipelago and lease back the Diego Garcia military base, a facility built there in the 1970s that has been used by UK and US forces.
But the Tories had warned the agreement would break a treaty between the UK and the US that dates back to 1966, that asserts Britain’s sovereignty over the islands.
Ministers confirmed in late December that the two nations were engaging in talks about updating the 1966 agreement in light of the new Chagos deal but the talks have not been completed.
On Friday morning the Conservatives tabled a motion in the House of Lords calling for the ratification of the treaty be delayed to allow the talks to conclude to avoid breaching international law.
Legislation underpinning the agreement was expected to return to the Lords on Monday for Parliamentary ‘ping pong’.
But the Telegraph can reveal that it will no longer be returning to the upper chamber as planned.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said the deal could “not progress while this issue remains unsolved”.
She said: “Throughout the Chagos debates, Keir Starmer has tried to hide behind the cover of international law, now the Conservatives are exposing that his shameful surrender may be illegal.”
I expect he’ll give Mauritius the money anyway. The Mauritians “deserve” to pay no income tax, unlike the Brits.
Heretic
2 months ago
Fantastic news! But it was the TORIES who started the insane Chagos capitulation in violation of the US-UK treaty, as the article below explains, and Trump is RIGHT to say they gave it away for no reason, because no country can be legally forced to carry out a recommendation or ruling by some ‘international body’. “International Law” is a false concept. The Tories & Labour CHOSE TO FEEBLY SUBMIT.
“The claim that this deal is an “immoral surrender” by the Starmer government ignores the fact that negotiations were formally launched in November 2022 by the then-Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly.”
“These talks were continued and refined under Lord Cameron’s tenure as Foreign Secretary. The final round of Tory-led negotiations took place just weeks before the 2024 general election. By the time the government changed hands, the framework for ceding sovereignty in exchange for a long-term lease of the military base was already the established ‘Plan A’ for the British state.”
“I do swear that I do from my heart abhor, detest, and abjure, as impious and heretical, this damnable doctrine and position that princes excommunicated or deprived by the pope, or any authority of the see of Rome, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any other whatsoever.” “AND I DO DECLARE THAT NO FOREIGN PRINCE, PERSON, PRELATE, STATE, OR POTENTATE HAS, OR OUGHT TO HAVE, ANY JURISDICTION, POWER, SUPERIORITY, PRE-EMINENCE, OR AUTHORITY, ECCLESIASTICAL OR SPIRITUAL, WITHIN THIS REALM. So help me God.” “Upon which their said Majesties did accept the crown and royal dignity of the kingdoms of England, France, and Ireland, and the dominions thereunto belonging, according to the resolution and desire of the said lords and commons contained in the said declaration. . . .” “And whereas, it hath been found by experience that it is inconsistent with the safety and welfare of this Protestant kingdom to be governed by a popish prince or by any king or queen marrying a papist, the said lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, do further pray that it may be enacted that all and every person and persons that is, are, or shall be reconciled to, or shall… Read more »
The point is that this Green & Pleasant Land is NOT under any foreign jurisdiction, not the EU, nor the UN, nor any international body, including the False Concept called “International Law”.
I see.
I tend to agree but in any case “international law” is one of those infinitely elastic terms like “hate crime”, specifically invented to justify any government action.
That’s true, and I do not agree with the rest of that article, but linked it to show people the clear explanation of the Tory initiation of the ridiculous Chagos “deal”.
And it was Nigel Farage who was instrumental in scuppering it with his contacts in the Trump administration and Trump himself, and finally talks he had with the Yanks whilst in Davos.
MajorMajor
2 months ago
It would be great irony if international law could be used to defeat Starmer the lawyer.
Meh. The lawyers would simply point out that the UK had no right to sign the treaty with the US due to having illegally taken control of the area now known as BIOT. There. Done.
More to the point it is against both UK and USA interests.
DiscoveredJoys
2 months ago
Stumbler finding out once again that just saying something doesn’t make it so.
Just out of curiosity, how many U turns is this now.
zebedee
2 months ago
International law is a fiction constructed by pompous lawyers. There are only treaties between sovereign states that may be broken at their peril. For instance the Spaniards could take Gibraltar and then learn to speak French.
Can this damned fool get anything right? (Rhetorical)
I’ve heard of Government spin, but if he carries on U-turning he will disappear up his own vortex. Hurrah!
The gossip is that the creature Burnham will stand in the by-election and if he wins will challenge Herr Starmer for as “leader” and thus become PM if successful. That certainly would seal the fate of Labour and alas the Country.
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Can we afford the local elections now that we don’t have to waste the money on Mauritius?
Good heavens no! Labour might lose them!
We’ll have to find some other way to waste the money.
I expect he’ll give Mauritius the money anyway. The Mauritians “deserve” to pay no income tax, unlike the Brits.
Fantastic news! But it was the TORIES who started the insane Chagos capitulation in violation of the US-UK treaty, as the article below explains, and Trump is RIGHT to say they gave it away for no reason, because no country can be legally forced to carry out a recommendation or ruling by some ‘international body’. “International Law” is a false concept. The Tories & Labour CHOSE TO FEEBLY SUBMIT.
The Chagos Deal: A Factual Breakdown – Politics UK
“The claim that this deal is an “immoral surrender” by the Starmer government ignores the fact that negotiations were formally launched in November 2022 by the then-Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly.”
“These talks were continued and refined under Lord Cameron’s tenure as Foreign Secretary. The final round of Tory-led negotiations took place just weeks before the 2024 general election. By the time the government changed hands, the framework for ceding sovereignty in exchange for a long-term lease of the military base was already the established ‘Plan A’ for the British state.”
“I do swear that I do from my heart abhor, detest, and abjure, as impious and heretical, this damnable doctrine and position that princes excommunicated or deprived by the pope, or any authority of the see of Rome, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any other whatsoever.” “AND I DO DECLARE THAT NO FOREIGN PRINCE, PERSON, PRELATE, STATE, OR POTENTATE HAS, OR OUGHT TO HAVE, ANY JURISDICTION, POWER, SUPERIORITY, PRE-EMINENCE, OR AUTHORITY, ECCLESIASTICAL OR SPIRITUAL, WITHIN THIS REALM. So help me God.” “Upon which their said Majesties did accept the crown and royal dignity of the kingdoms of England, France, and Ireland, and the dominions thereunto belonging, according to the resolution and desire of the said lords and commons contained in the said declaration. . . .” “And whereas, it hath been found by experience that it is inconsistent with the safety and welfare of this Protestant kingdom to be governed by a popish prince or by any king or queen marrying a papist, the said lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, do further pray that it may be enacted that all and every person and persons that is, are, or shall be reconciled to, or shall… Read more »
Nice.
But I must admit I don’t see what it has to do with the Chagos Islands.
The point is that this Green & Pleasant Land is NOT under any foreign jurisdiction, not the EU, nor the UN, nor any international body, including the False Concept called “International Law”.
I see.
I tend to agree but in any case “international law” is one of those infinitely elastic terms like “hate crime”, specifically invented to justify any government action.
Thanks. So the shrill objections by Kemi are pure theatre.
However, the rest of the article is basically explaining why the UK must surrender the islands due to obligations under international law.
To be honest, I’m not sure if they’ve ever belonged to Mauritius.
That’s true, and I do not agree with the rest of that article, but linked it to show people the clear explanation of the Tory initiation of the ridiculous Chagos “deal”.
And it was Nigel Farage who was instrumental in scuppering it with his contacts in the Trump administration and Trump himself, and finally talks he had with the Yanks whilst in Davos.
It would be great irony if international law could be used to defeat Starmer the lawyer.
Beyond delicious…
And definitely in the public interest…
Meh. The lawyers would simply point out that the UK had no right to sign the treaty with the US due to having illegally taken control of the area now known as BIOT. There. Done.
More to the point it is against both UK and USA interests.
Stumbler finding out once again that just saying something doesn’t make it so.
Just out of curiosity, how many U turns is this now.
International law is a fiction constructed by pompous lawyers. There are only treaties between sovereign states that may be broken at their peril. For instance the Spaniards could take Gibraltar and then learn to speak French.
Spot on.
Glad to see all your upticks. I still don’t have the option on the majority of comments.
Can this damned fool get anything right? (Rhetorical)
I’ve heard of Government spin, but if he carries on U-turning he will disappear up his own vortex. Hurrah!
The gossip is that the creature Burnham will stand in the by-election and if he wins will challenge Herr Starmer for as “leader” and thus become PM if successful. That certainly would seal the fate of Labour and alas the Country.