UK to review Chagos Islands deal over lack of US support, Streeting tells BBC

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has announced that the government is reviewing its agreement to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius due to a lack of US support. The decision comes after US President Donald Trump labelled the deal "terrible" during a UN General Assembly address on Tuesday. The original agreement, struck under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, would have seen the UK cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius in exchange for annual payments of around £101m ($136m) to lease a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, a strategically important location in the Indian Ocean.

The deal was temporarily halted in April following Trump's withdrawal of support. Streeting emphasized that the review was necessary because the US does not back the current terms of the deal. He also stated that discussions with US allies, including Trump and his administration, are ongoing to modify the agreement to secure the necessary support.

The focus of the review is to ensure the long-term security of the Diego Garcia base, which has been deemed crucial by every UK prime minister since Boris Johnson. The review follows Trump's criticism of the deal, with the prime minister acknowledging the need for a resolution that could satisfy all parties involved.