Should the UK Chagos Island treaty still go ahead?
The UK signed a treaty with Mauritius in May 2025 to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands while securing a 99-year lease on the Diego Garcia military base for joint UK-US operations. Ratification requires UK parliamentary approval and US consent via an updated exchange of notes, but this has been paused indefinitely since April 2026 after President Trump withdrew support. The bill to implement the treaty remains in the House of Lords with no progress expected in the current parliamentary session.
23 Opinions
We already own the Chagos Islands. We are £Bilions in debt so why should we be paying Mauritius to take a lease on what is already ours?
The Chagos Islanders haven't been asked what they want
There were reasons why successive UK governments decided they needed to arrange for transfer of sovereignty. There are strong arguments that UK actions in the 20th century completely undermine any credible claim to ongoing sovereignty over the Chagos Is., It's easy and convenient for oppo parties to present a simple populist line but should they reach power it would be a big and unwise move to head off piste into Trump style recklessness.
The Chagos Islanders don't want us to give their islands to Mauritius. The USA doesn't want us to give the islands to Mauritius. The majority of the population don't want to give the islands to Mauritius. Seemingly the only people that want us to give the islands to Mauritius are Mauritius and to an extent China.
It's up to the population of the Chagos to decide what they want for their island. If it does go ahead, leave Trump out of it, have the deal between the UK and the Chagos Islands.
It’s quite simple. The Chagos citizens do not want it. Mauritius never owned them. The idea of giving them to China via Mauritius is treasonous.
Mauritius never had claim & UK has opt out from corrupt ‘International Law’ rulings conjured up by China et al. Socialists stitched up Chagossians originally & are doing it again. Treason by Starmer Hermer Lammy & now Burnham & Miliband acting on China’s orders. We are paying to rent something we own whilst giving away a pristine marine environment, a mineral rich archipelago including oil & an important base. Labour giving our wealth & security away on UNs / China’s orders.
If the Chagosians wanted this, then sure, I wouldn't mind. But they don't! They've explicitly said they don't want to be ruled by Mauritius! It's ridiculous really that we're doing this.
Chagosians need to be allowed to decide from themselves what they want. We have negotiated a deal to have a Base there so be it however Trump can go and F himself as far as I am concerned his country meets the adage of keeping your enemy closer.
Chagosians ? Have indicated they want to remain as they are. What is behind given a strategic airbase away,then pay billions to rent it back?. Labour economics. What's next Gibraltar, Falklands,N Ireland English Channel.!!