US EditionChagos Islands debate delayed as Tories call for halt to bill
The bill was withdrawn after Conservative amendments citing treaty and security risks; the government plans to reschedule the debate to protect the Diego Garcia military base.
- On Monday, the House of Lords debate on the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill was withdrawn after Conservative peers tabled a late Friday amendment calling for a pause in light of changing geopolitical circumstances.
- Tory peers say the objection rests on the Conservative Party's argument that passing the bill would breach Article 1 of the 1966 UK‑US treaty and international law, while US President Donald Trump intensified pressure last week.
- Strategically, the arrangements include leasing back Diego Garcia for at least 99 years, paying Mauritius �101m annually, and maintaining a 24-mile buffer with around 2,500 personnel on the base.
- The government insisted that Downing Street called peers' delay irresponsible and reckless, stressing full commitment to securing the Diego Garcia military base vital for national security.
- Officials note that next steps include updating the 1966 UK‑US agreement and passing primary and secondary legislation before ratification, with ongoing talks to amend the exchange of letters.
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Irish News
perspectivemedia.comUK and US ‘working together’ on Diego Garcia arrangements, No 10 says
It came after the Government postponed a parliamentary debate on its Chagos Islands deal.
Friday, January 23, 2026, in the evening, the British House of Lords managed to force the British government to withdraw from the agenda the consideration of the Chagos retrocession bill to Mauritius. While the text had reached an advanced stage in the parliamentary process, the decision taken in London on Saturday caused a sharp misunderstanding on the Mauritian side.
The Wrath of Trump & Starmer Backs Off Surrender of Chagos
Last week, the PM signed a long-dreaded treaty that officially hands control of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius. He effectively ceded a strategically vital territory that is of interest to China. Making matters worse, once the treaty is ratified by MPs, the UK will pay Mauritius £101 million a year for the next 99 years […] The post The Wrath of Trump & Starmer Backs Off Surrender of Chagos appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.
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