Sir Keir Starmer is facing scrutiny over the Chagos Islands agreement after Mauritius claimed the UK altered payment terms to front-load payments. A past Mauritian leader’s deal is now criticized by the current prime minister, amidst concerns regarding the cost of the agreement, estimated to be up to £18 billion. The discussion coincided with reductions to winter fuel payments for pensioners, intensifying parliamentary debate.
Sir Keir Starmer faced criticism during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) following Mauritius’s assertion that the United Kingdom had revised the payment terms related to the Chagos Islands agreement. Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam claimed that the UK had agreed to modify the payment structure by front-loading payments and altering their calculation methodology. This controversy arose amid discussions concerning the scaling back of winter fuel payments to pensioners, prompting renewed scrutiny of the associated costs of the Chagos deal.
Starmer defended the necessity of the agreement, emphasizing that it was essential for the ongoing operation of the UK-US military airbase located on Diego Garcia, which the UK retains under a 99-year lease. The decision to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, officially recognized as the British Indian Ocean Territory, was made last October after negotiations with former Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. However, the situation has evolved dramatically since Jugnauth’s removal from power after a general election.
Prime Minister Ramgoolam criticized the initial agreement, stating that it was not inflation-proof and that the payment terms now include a variable exchange rate, potentially altering the overall financial obligation. Although the UK government has refrained from disclosing the financial details, media reports suggest that the cost of the deal was estimated at £9 billion, leading to heated exchanges in parliament.
During the PMQs session, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch seized the opportunity to question Starmer regarding the purported doubling of costs from £9 billion to £18 billion. She juxtaposed this concern with the government’s decision to reduce winter fuel payments for pensioners, asserting that the funding directed towards Mauritius could have been better allocated to support vulnerable citizens. In his defense, Starmer remarked that the future of the Diego Garcia base had become uncertain due to various international legal rulings affecting its operational status.
The controversy surrounding the Chagos Islands deal involves complex geopolitical considerations, particularly pertaining to the UK and US military presence on Diego Garcia. The islands have been a point of contention, as their sovereignty has been contested by Mauritius. The gradual transfer of control and financial implications of the deal have raised questions about the UK government’s commitments to its military obligations and social welfare programs, particularly amid impending cuts to pensioner assistance.
In summary, Sir Keir Starmer encountered significant opposition during PMQs regarding the cost implications of the Chagos Islands agreement with Mauritius. The criticism heightened amidst parallel discussions on the reduction of winter fuel payments for pensioners. Starmer justified the move as essential for maintaining the strategic military base on Diego Garcia, while the financial scrutiny persists over the evolving payment structure of the deal.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
