The sell-off of the essential strategic base to Mauritius has been deal a blow this evening.
Starmer’s sell-out deal defeated in the Lords (Image: Getty)
Patriotic peers have defeated the government four separate times in crucial votes on the Chagos Islands surrender deal tonight. Members of the Lords managed to back major amendments to Sir Keir Starmer’s hated sell-off, including a new provision for a referendum of Chagossians to be held.
A cross-party coalition of the Conservatives, Lib Dems, cross-benchers and others voted on the amendment, which would mean ratification of the treaty can’t go ahead until local islanders have their say. The Government has repeatedly failed to listen to the opposition by Chagossians, despite major human rights concerns about how they might be treated by Mauritius when they take control of the archipelago. Labour peers, meanwhile, voted to ignore the views of the Chagossians once again, with 121 voting down the referendum amendment.
Chagossians are furious with the government (Image: Getty)
Other defeats inflicted on Sir Keir’s deal tonight included another amendment from the Tories forcing Labour to come clean about the true cost of the deal.
The government has consistently claimed it will cost British taxpayers just £3.4 billion.
However other analyses have suggested it could be ten times higher over the lifetime of the leasing arrangement, at an eye-watering £35 billion.
The Tory amendment would force the government to finally come clean about the figures involved, and passed by a majority of 19 votes.
A third successful amendment saw a crossbench peer demand that sections of the treaty would only come into force when the Foreign Secretary amends it to ensure that Britain would stop all payments to Mauritius in the event that it is no longer possible to use the Diego Garcia military base.
Peers inflicted four defeats (Image: Getty)
Finally the House of Lords secured a fourth victory, which would give parliament a block on spending under the Treaty that exceeds Government’s published estimates.
Dame Priti Patel MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, said: “Once again Labour have suffered a humiliating defeat on their shameful anti-British Chagos Surrender Bill.
“At every stage of this process, the Government has sought to silence and ignore the Chagossian people and dodge scrutiny for the outrageous handover of British territory and £35 billion of taxpayers’ money.
“Keir Starmer is weak and incapable of standing up for Britain at home and abroad. Britain’s defence and security are at risk because of this terrible legislation. Only the Conservatives will stand up for Britain on the international stage.”
