Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has expressed concern after Keir Starmer’s showdown with President Trump.
Speaking to GB News, Philp expressed concern about Starmer’s “mad plan” to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Trump suggested he will offer his support.
The agreement includes a plan to lease back the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia at British taxpayers’ expense.
Home Secretary David Lammy has said the deal will not go ahead should Trump stand in its way due to its implications for US security.
Philp said on GB News: “Keir Starmer seems to have changed his tune when it comes to Donald Trump and I am pleased he is following Kemi Badenoch’s advice and getting stuck into trying to negotiate a trade deal with the USA, that is very welcome.
“There are lots of unanswered questions. Particularly over how a deal with Ukraine might work and how we’re going to make sure Ukraine’s security and future is guaranteed.
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“Russia is an aggressive state which has a history of invading other people’s territory and we need to make sure Ukraine is properly protected.
“I am also very concerned about the Chagos Islands. Keir Starmer appears to be intent on continuing his mad plan to pay Mauritius £19bn or something in that region to give away territory that is British and has never been Mauritian.
“I’m very concerned about this whole Chagos Islands madness.”
GB News’s Stephen Dixon put it to Philp that talks to give away the Chagos Islands were put in motion by the previous Conservative government.
The Tories have denied claims, saying Lord Cameron put a stop to talks during his time as Foreign Secretary.
Wes Streeting told GB News that Cameron merely put a pause on talks, claiming the Tories were intent on seeing them through.
Philp refuted the suggestion, saying: “There were discussions, but I have discussed this with James Cleverly, there is no way on Earth any Tory Home Secretary would have considered a deal like this one.
“They may have started talks, but they never would have come to an agreement like the one Keir Starmer appears to have come to.
“We cannot pay billions and billions of pounds to Mauritius for territory that is already British. It is absolute madness.”
While many of Trump’s allies have criticised the plan, he spoke about it in positive terms after his meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday, telling reporters: “We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon.
“I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well.”
He continued: "They're talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years actually.
"That's a long time, and I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country."
Under the Chagos plan, the UK is expected to lease the strategically important Diego Garcia for 99 years, with an option for a 40-year extension.
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Speaking to GB News, Philp expressed concern about Starmer’s “mad plan” to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Trump suggested he will offer his support.
The agreement includes a plan to lease back the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia at British taxpayers’ expense.
Home Secretary David Lammy has said the deal will not go ahead should Trump stand in its way due to its implications for US security.
Philp said on GB News: “Keir Starmer seems to have changed his tune when it comes to Donald Trump and I am pleased he is following Kemi Badenoch’s advice and getting stuck into trying to negotiate a trade deal with the USA, that is very welcome.
“There are lots of unanswered questions. Particularly over how a deal with Ukraine might work and how we’re going to make sure Ukraine’s security and future is guaranteed.
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“Russia is an aggressive state which has a history of invading other people’s territory and we need to make sure Ukraine is properly protected.
“I am also very concerned about the Chagos Islands. Keir Starmer appears to be intent on continuing his mad plan to pay Mauritius £19bn or something in that region to give away territory that is British and has never been Mauritian.
“I’m very concerned about this whole Chagos Islands madness.”
GB News’s Stephen Dixon put it to Philp that talks to give away the Chagos Islands were put in motion by the previous Conservative government.
The Tories have denied claims, saying Lord Cameron put a stop to talks during his time as Foreign Secretary.
Wes Streeting told GB News that Cameron merely put a pause on talks, claiming the Tories were intent on seeing them through.
Philp refuted the suggestion, saying: “There were discussions, but I have discussed this with James Cleverly, there is no way on Earth any Tory Home Secretary would have considered a deal like this one.
“They may have started talks, but they never would have come to an agreement like the one Keir Starmer appears to have come to.
“We cannot pay billions and billions of pounds to Mauritius for territory that is already British. It is absolute madness.”
While many of Trump’s allies have criticised the plan, he spoke about it in positive terms after his meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday, telling reporters: “We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon.
“I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well.”
He continued: "They're talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years actually.
"That's a long time, and I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country."
Under the Chagos plan, the UK is expected to lease the strategically important Diego Garcia for 99 years, with an option for a 40-year extension.
Find Out More...