UK signs deal to hand over control of Chagos islands

The UK has signed a long-awaited deal to hand control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed.

It means Britain will give up sovereignty of the Indian Ocean territory and lease back the vital Diego Garcia military base - at a cost of £101m a year.

Politics Live: Starmer signs deal to hand over UK control of Chagos Islands to Mauritius

In a news conference, the prime minister said the base is of the "utmost significance to Britain", having been used to deploy aircraft to "defeat terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan", and "anticipate threats in the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific".

He said the base was under threat because of Mauritius's legal claim on the Chagos Islands, which has been recognised by multiple international courts.

"If we did not agree this deal, the legal situation would mean that we would not be able to prevent China or any other nation setting up their own bases on the outer islands, or carrying out joint exercises near our base," Sir Keir said.

"We would have to explain to you, the British people and to our allies, that we'd lost control of this vital asset.

"No responsible government could let that happen, so there's no alternative but to act in Britain's national interest by agreeing to this deal."

"We will never gamble with national security," he added.

The deal means the UK will lease the base from the Mauritian government over 99 years. Although the annual cost is £101m, the net cost overall is £3.4bn, not £10bn, the government said.

Sir Keir said that is less than the yearly cost of running an aircraft carrier, and also less than what the US is paying for the running costs of the base.

Had he not stuck the deal today, Mauritius would have taken the UK to international courts and probably won - with extra penalties implemented, the prime minister added.

News that the prime minister was negotiating a deal that would cede sovereignty of the Chagos Island emerged in October.

Many Conservatives criticised the move at the time, including senior figures of the last government such as former foreign secretary James Cleverly.

However Sir Keir said he "inherited a negotiation in which the principle of giving up UK sovereignty had already been conceded" by the Tories.

Defence Secretary John Healey, who was also at the news conference, added that the last government failed to strike a deal despite 11 rounds of talks leaving Labour to "pick up the challenge".

He said ministers "toughened the terms and the protections and the control that Britain can exercise through this treaty", landing a deal within 10 months.

Under the deal's terms, a 24-nautical mile buffer zone will be put in place around the island where nothing can be built or placed without UK consent.

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