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UK: Labour Delays Chagos Islands Bill Over Conservative Treaty Concerns

Is the Chagos pause a procedural step by Starmer’s government or a retreat under Conservative pressure after Trump’s criticism?

Published 7 days ago

UK: Labour Delays Chagos Islands Bill Over Conservative Treaty Concerns

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Above: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the 9 Downing Street media briefing room in London on Jan. 19. Image credit: Jordan Pettitt/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Conservative Party narrative

In the face of relentless Conservative pressure and following a broadside from U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week, Labour have pulled their shameful Chagos bill from Monday’s House of Lords order paper. The government is now in retreat from an agreement that risks breaching international law by moving ahead before updating the 1966 U.K.–U.S. Exchange of Letters — while also betraying national interests by handing British sovereign territory and £35 billion to an ally of China. The Conservatives will continue to fight Starmer’s Chagos surrender every step of the way.

Priti Patel on X

Labour Party narrative

Tory peers acted irresponsibly and recklessly by tabling a late wrecking amendment, threatening to block the Chagos bill. Labour paused it purely as a procedural step to avoid a likely defeat, not as a retreat. The government under Prime Minister Starmer remains fully committed to the 99-year lease of Diego Garcia, safeguarding national security and ensuring the historic transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius in line with the 2019 ICJ opinion.

Daily Mirror