Starmer Shelves Chagos Islands Deal

The controversial agreement to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago has collapsed after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew support for the 2024 deal.

The islands, which house the strategic Diego Garcia air base, were to be transferred to Mauritius while the base remained under U.S.-UK control for 99 years.

However, Trump's criticism of the plan forced Starmer to shelve the project, leading to accusations of naivety and a lack of national resilience.

Mauritius has vowed to 'spare no effort' to reclaim the territory, while the UK government faces mockery for its perceived reliance on foreign approval for territorial decisions.