“This is very good value for money,” said Starmer, defending £10bn Chagos treaty.
GB NEWS
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has signed a landmark £10 billion agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending decades of diplomatic tension.
The treaty, which includes provisions for the continued operation of the Diego Garcia military base, will run for 99 years at a cost of £101 million per year to British taxpayers. Starmer defended the deal at a press conference Thursday, saying the cost was “part and parcel of Britain’s global reach.”
He added: “The US and France do the same with their military bases. This is very good value for money.”
The deal has drawn sharp criticism from some who describe it as a “surrender”, while others see it as a long-overdue compliance with international law. Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed support from key allies including the US, Australia, and India.
Starmer also took aim at critics like Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, accusing them of being “in the same column as Russia and China” for opposing the deal.