Reform UKs Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, has posted an open letter to X urging them to reconsider the surrender of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Labour seem to be pushing ahead with the plan, together with an eye-watering payment of £18 billion.
The letter is signed by all five Reform MPs.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
The Rt. Hon. David Lammy MP
Foreign Secretary
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SWIA 2AH
LONDON SWIA OAA
4 February 2025
Dear Foreign Secretary,
We are writing to you out of the utmost concern for the national interest, national security and the sake of democracy. The transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is a deal which you should reconsider.
These islands have been British for over 200 years, since the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1814, and remain of critical strategic importance to both regional and Western defence. The US Air Force base on Diego Garcia has been described by officials in the new Trump administration as the "most important piece of land in the world", and yet the US Government, President Trump or Secretary Rubio have not been engaged in the discussions and negotiations over the transfer of sovereignty of the air base which is currently leased from the UK.
Ceding territory because of some obscure international court's non-legally binding judgement is not the approach we should be taking as a country, especially when it undermines one of our closest allies, our national security and indeed the safety of the West from hostile threats in the Indian Ocean. The decision from your Government and Department is a strategic disaster and should be reversed immediately. This leaves us strategically vulnerable and severely undermines the special relationship with our American allies who do not approve of the deal, and will make the world a more dangerous place.
The update today from Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, stated that Mauritius has renegotiated to obtain full sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia. The lease of the military base will be for a period of 99 years and will not be renewable. The details of the deal, including the financial settlement, must be made public at your earliest convenience, and should be made in a statement to the House of Commons.
Furthermore, British Chagossians have been denied a voice and the opportunity to scrutinise this major constitutional change; handing over British territory without proper scrutiny is undemocratic and unjust. Given that the residents of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands were both given a vote, which they voted overwhelmingly to stay as a British Overseas Territory, over their future, why is the UK Government not allowing a similar vote?
On one final note, given the recent outcome of the Mauritian general election, do you not agree that the whole deal, which was negotiated under the previous administration, despite the UK Government knowing full well that a general election was due, should at least be reviewed, if not totally consigned to the history books?
We look forward to your response soon.
Yours Sincerely,
Nigel Farage MP, Leader of Reform UK
Richard Tice MP Deputy Leader of Reform UK
Lee Anderson MP
Rupert Lowe MP
James McMurdock MP
https://twitter.com/TiceRichard/status/1887097662408708384
