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Kemi Badenoch says the deal should now find its 'rightful place - on the ash heap of history'.
07:36, Sat, Apr 11, 2026 Updated: 07:57, Sat, Apr 11, 2026
Keir Starmer's Chagos Islands deal has been shelved after criticism from Donald Trump (Image: Getty)
The UK's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been shelved after criticism from Donald Trump. Legislation, which would be key to the agreement going ahead, is not expected to be included in the Government’s forthcoming legislative plans.
The £35billion deal includes a plan to lease back the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia – the largest island in the remote Indian Ocean archipelago. The White House had described the agreement as a “monumental achievement”, but Mr Trump later slammed it as a "great act of stupidity".
The US and UK operate a joint military base on Diego Garcia (Image: Getty)
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the deal should now find its “rightful place – on the ash heap of history”.
The Times first reported that the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill will not feature in May's King’s Speech, which sets the agenda for the next session of Parliament.
A Government source told The Times the agreement is “the best way to protect the long-term future of the base”, but they will not proceed without Mr Trump's backing.
The Republican president, who had supported the plan, branded the deal an “act of great stupidity” in a post on his Truth Social platform in January.
After criticising the deal as an act of “total weakness”, Mr Trump then reversed his position, saying it was “the best” deal Sir Keir could make before withdrawing support again.
Mr Trump has also repeatedly criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer throughout the conflict in the Middle East. The White House accused Britain and NATO allies of turning their backs on the American people during the Iran war.
Mrs Badenoch said: “If Keir Starmer’s Chagos surrender now finds its rightful place – on the ash heap of history – it will be because Conservatives led the fight against it from day one.
“That it took so long is another damning indictment of a Prime Minister who fought to hand over British sovereign territory and pay £35 billion to use a crucial military base which was already ours.”
In February, there was confusion over whether the Bill was going ahead, with Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer telling the Commons that the deal had been “paused” although Government officials later said he misspoke.
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Legislation enabling the handover has not appeared before Parliament since January 20 despite being in its final stages.
The Government has argued the deal is necessary to guarantee the future of the Diego Garcia base after an advisory International Court of Justice ruling in 2019 backed Mauritian claims to sovereignty over the islands.
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