UK's Chagos Islands Deal to Cost Up to £30 Billion

The UK government has been accused of "lying to the public" over its deal to give away the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with critics suggesting the true cost could exceed £30 billion. The agreement, signed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, will see the UK rent a key military base on the islands for 99 years, with annual payments of £101 million. However, the Conservative Party and Reform UK have questioned the accuracy of these figures, claiming the true cost will be significantly higher due to inflation and additional funding schemes.

Key Takeaways:

• The UK will pay up to £30 billion in cash terms for the Chagos Islands deal, exceeding the claimed £3.4 billion over 99 years.
• The agreement includes a century of lease payments, most of which will be increased in line with inflation, plus two schemes to support native people of the Chagos Islands and pay for infrastructure in Mauritius.
• The UK will also be obliged to give notice if it plans to launch an attack from the Diego Garcia military base, raising security concerns due to the close ties between Mauritius, China, and Russia.
• Sir Keir Starmer claimed the deal would cost £101 million annually, amounting to £3.4 billion over 99 years, but critics argue this is a misleading figure.
• The UK will pay rent on the Diego Garcia military base for the next 99 years, and contribute more than £1 billion in development funding.
• Labour MPs have criticized the deal, with one saying Downing Street had deliberately published the treaty on the last day before a 10-day parliamentary recess to reduce scrutiny.

Statistics:

• The cash-terms cost of the Chagos Islands deal is likely to be around £30 billion.
• The annual payment for the use of the Diego Garcia military base is £101 million.
• Over 99 years, the total payment would equate to £10 billion, but the UK government claims the net cost will be £3.4 billion.
• The UK will contribute more than £1 billion in development funding.
• The deal will see the UK rent a key military base on the Chagos Islands for 99 years.

Sources:

• The Telegraph
• BBC News
• The Independent