The British government has been forced to shelve legislation intended to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after the United States withdrew its support for the agreement. UK officials acknowledged on Friday that they had run out of time to pass the necessary laws within the current parliamentary session, which is set to conclude in the coming weeks.
The collapse of the deal marks a significant diplomatic setback for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and highlights the increasingly strained relations between London and Washington. The archipelago is home to the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, a site the UK government describes as a “key strategic military asset.”
Under the proposed terms, the UK would have ceded sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius even as securing a 99-year lease for Diego Garcia to ensure the continued operation of the airbase. However, the deal required the formal amendment of a 1966 British-American treaty. The US has not exchanged the letters necessary to enact those changes, effectively blocking the legislative path for the UK.
A government spokesperson stated: “Diego Garcia is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US. Ensuring its long-term operational security is, and will continue to be, our priority – it is the entire reason for the deal.” The spokesperson added that while the government still believes the agreement is the best way to protect the base, they would only proceed with US support.
The Impact of Shifting US Support
The reversal in US support appears tied to broader geopolitical frictions, specifically regarding the conflict with Iran. While the US State Department had previously backed the plan, President Donald Trump has since criticized the move, telling Prime Minister Starmer he was “making a big mistake” by handing over sovereignty.
The shift in the White House’s position follows a period of volatility in the Middle East. In February, reports emerged that President Trump had turned against the deal because the UK would not permit its airbases to be used for a pre-emptive US strike on Iran. This tension escalated last month when Iran struck the joint military base on Diego Garcia after warning that British lives were in danger, following Starmer’s authorization for the US to conduct further strikes from British bases.
Starmer has maintained a policy allowing US forces to use UK bases, including Diego Garcia, exclusively for defensive missions against Iran. This stance led to increased pressure from the US administration, particularly after President Trump warned that “a whole civilisation” would die if Iran ignored his demands, prior to a ceasefire agreement.
Political Fallout and Domestic Criticism
The decision to drop the bill has drawn sharp criticism from the Conservative opposition. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, described the situation on X as “another damning indictment of a prime minister, who fought to hand over British sovereign territory and pay £35bn to use a crucial military base which was already ours.”
The internal confusion within the Foreign Office also came to light when Hamish Falconer, a Foreign Office minister and former diplomat, told MPs that discussions with American counterparts had been paused. Even though the Foreign Office later attempted to clarify that there was no formal “pause” or set deadline, the lack of a Chagos bill in the upcoming May King’s Speech—where the government’s legislative agenda is revealed—confirms the project is currently stalled.
The Chagos Sovereignty Timeline
| Year/Date | Event | Status/Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Islands designated as British Indian Ocean Territory | Detached from Mauritius |
| 1968 | Mauritius gains independence | Chagos remains under UK control |
| 1966 | British-American Treaty signed | Established joint use of Diego Garcia |
| 2024-2025 | Starmer-Mauritius Agreement | Proposed sovereignty transfer with 99-year lease |
| Feb 2026 | US support wavers | Disagreement over pre-emptive strikes on Iran |
| April 2026 | Legislation shelved | UK runs out of parliamentary time; US support withdrawn |
The Human Cost of the Dispute
Beyond the strategic military calculations and diplomatic sparring, the fate of the Chagos Islands remains a deeply emotive issue for the displaced Chagos Islanders. In 1965, the UK forcibly evicted thousands of residents to produce way for the military base. The descendants of these islanders have spent decades mounting legal claims in British courts, seeking compensation and the right to return to their ancestral homes.
For the people of Mauritius and the displaced islanders, the shelving of this legislation is a continuation of a decades-long struggle for sovereignty and justice. The UK’s inability to secure US agreement means that the legal and political status quo—one that has been widely criticized by international bodies—remains in place.
The current impasse leaves the UK in a precarious position: attempting to maintain a vital security relationship with the US while managing a long-standing legal and moral obligation to Mauritius and the Chagos people. With the legislation now absent from the immediate parliamentary calendar, the future of the islands depends entirely on whether the UK and US can reconcile their differing approaches to regional security in the Middle East.
The next confirmed checkpoint for the government’s legislative agenda will be the King’s Speech in May, which will formally outline the priorities for the coming parliament and confirm whether any revised version of the Chagos bill will be reintroduced.
We invite readers to share their perspectives on this developing diplomatic crisis in the comments below.
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