Chagos Islands debate delayed as Tories call for halt to bill

"A bill aimed at enshrining in law the government's Chagos deal will not be debated in the Lords as previously planned. The legislation, which would see the archipelago in the Indian Ocean handed to Mauritius with the UK leasing back a key military base for 101m a year, was due to be debated in the Lords on Monday. But late on Friday, the Conservatives - who have long opposed the deal - tabled an amendment calling for a pause "in light of the changing geopolitical circumstances"."

"The government has now decided not to go ahead with the upcoming debate and said the bill will return to the Lords at an unspecified later date. "The government remains fully committed to the deal to secure the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia, which is vital for our national security," a government spokesperson said. "This is irresponsible and reckless behaviour by peers, whose roles is to check legislation, not interfere with our national security priorities.""

"The Tories claim passing the bill would put the UK in contravention of a 1966 Treaty agreed with the US over the islands and therefore in breach of international law. Article 1 of the 1966 Treaty says "the territory shall remain under UK sovereignty". The Tories have called on ministers to ensure agreement is reached with the US over the 1966 Treaty, before the bill returns to the House of Lords."

Parliamentary debate on the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill has been postponed after Conservative peers tabled an amendment calling for a pause due to changing geopolitical circumstances. The bill would transfer the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius while the UK would lease back the Diego Garcia military base for 101m a year. The government states it remains committed to securing the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia. The bill is in the "ping pong" stage of scrutiny, and the Tories warn it may breach the 1966 UK-US Treaty requiring UK sovereignty.

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