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UK Warned of Multi‑Billion Liability as Chagos Treaty Stalls Following Trump Intervention

The signed pact would transfer the archipelago to Mauritius under a 99‑year leaseback of Diego Garcia to preserve long-term base access.

Overview

  • Ministers fear Mauritius could sue for billions if Britain retreats from the treaty, which totals about £3.5 billion with heavy front‑loading including £1.8 billion in the first decade.
  • Parliamentary ratification has been paused, with opponents energized and campaigns intensifying on both sides, including a planned push in Washington by Dame Priti Patel.
  • President Trump publicly urged the UK not to proceed and attacked the deal’s legal basis, reversing earlier supportive signals and injecting uncertainty over US backing.
  • A small group of Chagossians who landed on Île du Coin received eviction notices, and a judge temporarily halted removals as the Foreign Office cited safety risks on an uninhabited island.
  • Nigel Farage said officials blocked his attempted voyage to deliver supplies, while the Foreign Office stressed BIOT’s permit requirements and former defence secretary Ben Wallace called the trip a stunt.