The prime minister will continue with the Chagos Islands deal, a minister has said, despite Donald Trump lashing out at Sir Keir Starmer for making a “big mistake”.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said the Bill will return to Parliament as soon as the timetable allows for legislation that is “essential and crucial for the national security of the United Kingdom”.
She told Times Radio: “We will continue to work with our allies, including the Americans, on this but first and foremost the priority must be national security and that is what this government is determined to deliver.”
Just hours after the US government announced its support for the UK government’s agreement, the president wrote in a post on social media: “I have been telling prime minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that leases are no good when it comes to countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease.”
The UK is paying £35 billion over the next century to retain control of Diego Garcia as part of its 99-year lease of the islands to Mauritius.
Key Points
- Starmer ‘determined’ to see through Chagos Islands deal despite Trump’s latest tirade
- Recap: Trump continues to flip-flop over Chagos Islands deal
- Timeline of Trump's flip-flopping over Chagos Islands deal
- Trump's Chagos Islands defiance is 'utter humiliation' for Starmer
- What caused Trump to U-turn on Chagos Islands deal?
- Farage backs Trump in calls for UK to scrap Chagos Islands deal
What are Rachel Reeves’s fiscal rules and what does the IFS want to change?
16:01 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe think tank wants the chancellor to set a higher number of fiscal targets and take a more nuanced approach as the spring statement approaches, says Sean O’Grady:
What are Reeves’s fiscal rules and what does the IFS want to change?
Swinney vows 'absolute confidence' in Lord Advocate
15:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainJohn Swinney has insisted he has "absolute confidence" in Scotland's most senior prosecutor, amid claims the Lord Advocate committed a "gross misjudgment" when she revealed details of allegations against former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell in a private email to the First Minister.
The Conservatives and Labour have claimed that giving such details to Mr Swinney weeks before they were made public gave him a political advantage.
Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC has already told MSPs she sent the minute to the First Minister to inform him of a "significant development" in the case against Murrell - who was married to Nicola Sturgeon - and to "ensure the Government is reminded of its legal responsibilities to restrict its comments".
She said she would "roundly reject" any suggestion she is "corrupt".
But with the minute - detailing that Murrell is charged with embezzling almost £460,000 from the SNP - sent to Mr Swinney on January 19, weeks before details of the charge became public, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay was insistent that the Lord Advocate had handed the First Minister a political advantage.
"Thanks to the Lord Advocate, John Swinney and the SNP knew the precise scale of the alleged crime while the public knew nothing," Mr Findlay said during First Minister's Questions on Thursday.
Sharper than expected fall in net migration ‘will add £3bn to UK’s borrowing’
15:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe UK’s plummeting net migration numbers will add billions of pounds to the nation’s borrowing, Rachel Reeves has been warned.
Successive governments have announced crackdowns on migration since the figures hit nearly a million in just 12 months in 2023.
But these attempts have proved so successful - with numbers dropping by two-thirds in a single year driven by a huge fall in people coming for work or study -that they now risk affecting the exchequer, a leading think tank has warned.
Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Sharper than expected fall in net migration ‘will add £3bn to UK’s borrowing’
Tech firms must remove ‘revenge porn’ in 48 hours or risk being blocked
14:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTech firms will be ordered to remove “revenge porn” within 48 hours or risk being fined or banned from the UK under proposed laws announced by ministers.
Through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, the government will make it a legal requirement for companies to take down intimate images shared without a victim's consent no more than 48 hours after it is flagged to them.
If they fail to do so, they would face fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue, or risk having their services blocked in the UK.
Athena Stavrou reports:
Tech firms must remove ‘revenge porn’ in 48 hours or risk being blocked
Trump slates Keir Starmer over Chagos Islands lease deal – in third U-turn on UK deal with Mauritius
14:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRecap:
Donald Trump has lambasted Sir Keir Starmer over his plan to give up the Chagos Islands in yet another U-turn by the US president over the issue, just one day after backing it.
Mr Trump warned the UK leader that he was “making a big mistake by entering [into] a 100-year lease” with Mauritius over the islands, which are home to a joint US-UK military base.
“Prime minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year lease,” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Read more here:
Trump slates Starmer over Chagos Islands lease deal – in third U-turn
Starmer brands Reform plan to scrap Equality Act ‘anti-British’
14:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer has condemned Reform UK’s pledge to abolish the Equality Act as “shocking” and “anti-British”.
The Labour leader warned that if a future Reform government were to scrap the 2010 law, it could lead to women facing overt discrimination.
Sir Keir said that such a move would directly contravene British values, including tolerance and compassion. He added that he “shuddered to think” what women would make of the proposed policy.
Read more here:
Starmer brands Reform plan to scrap Equality Act ‘anti-British’
Watch: Starmer says 'nobody above the law' over Andrew allegations
13:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainNick Buckley - Advance UK's candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election - reposted a claim on X alleging that his opponent, Matthew Goodwin of Reform UK, had said that he "hated" living in Manchester.
Alongside a photo of Mr Goodwin, a quote supposedly from the candidate read: "I lived in Manchester for a few months as a student. I hated it, the locals are all chavs and the city is an eyesore."
A reverse image search shows the photo of Mr Goodwin is from a newspaper interview which was posted to X and also to Facebook on February 1, but with a different text. The original posts said: "If I win, Starmer will resign, says Reform's candidate for Gorton and Denton".
The full news article does not quote Mr Goodwin saying he "hated" living in Manchester or describing the locals as "chavs".
Starmer warned UK faces ‘1936 moment’ as ex-defence chiefs urge spending boost
13:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainBritain's armed forces have been “hollowed out by years of chronic underfunding”, according to a stark warning from former defence leaders.
An open letter to the prime minister, signed by three ex-defence secretaries, retired senior military chiefs, and former MI6 head Sir Richard Dearlove, says that the UK faces a “1936 moment” amid rising global tensions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The letter, published in The Daily Telegraph, calls for defence spending to reach 5 per cent of GDP.
Starmer warned UK faces ‘1936 moment’ as ex-defence chiefs urge spending boost
Deletion of courtdesk archive paused by MoJ
12:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe planned deletion of a courts data archive - which was ordered by the Ministry of Justice over data protection concerns, has been paused.
Courtsdesk said it had been asked by the MoJ "to pause deletion of our archive and engage in dialogue about a new licence".
It was previously told to wipe its records after it shared address and date of birth details of defendants and victims with an artificial intelligence company.
Justice minister Sarah Sackman said details of around 700 cases were shared, and warned MPs of a potential "wild west" of firms breaching agreements.
Other businesses were expected to bid for licences to process courts data, if the deletion went ahead.
However on Tuesday, a spokesman for the MoJ told the Times it contacted Courtsdesk "with a view to potentially reestablishing their service provided they can demonstrate they will comply with our data protection requirements".
In a post on X, Courtsdesk said: "UK Gov Legal Dept has written to us on behalf of HMCTS/MOJ asking us to pause deletion of our archive and engage in dialogue about a new licence.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to resolve it and have replied to confirm retention. More soon."
Starmer ‘determined’ to see through Chagos Islands deal despite Trump’s latest tirade
12:12 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe government will continue with the Chagos Islands deal, a minister has said, despite Donald Trump's latest U-turn on his previous support for the agreement.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said the Bill will return to Parliament as soon as the timetable allows, although reports on Thursday suggested it could be delayed.
She told Times Radio: “We will continue to work with our allies, including the Americans, on this but first and foremost the priority must be national security and that is what this government is determined to deliver.
“Just two weeks ago they backed the deal, and this week the US backed the deal. Conversations will continue to be had with the Americans and other allies, but as I’ve said, the priority is our base and national security.”
What is Misconduct in Public Office? Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest explained
11:35 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe offence involves serious, wilful abuse or neglect of the powers and responsibilities of a public office, requiring a direct link between the misconduct and the abuse of those powers.
What is Misconduct in Public Office? Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrest explained
Starmer says ‘no one above the law’ over Andrew-Epstein allegations
11:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor is “not above the law” and should speak to the authorities in the UK and US about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The former prince is under renewed scrutiny after the latest tranche of released materials from the so-called Epstein files shed further light on his relationship to the late paedophile.
The prime minister became the latest high profile figure to pile more pressure onto Andrew on Thursday, as he joined calls for him to officially testify about his links.
Politics reporter Athena Stavrou has more:
Starmer says ‘no one above the law’ over Andrew-Epstein allegations
Reeves says closer integration with EU is ‘biggest prize’ in Brexit shift
11:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRachel Reeves has to signalled that Labour will push further and harder on reversing the worst aspects of Brexit, claiming that closer integration with the EU is the “big prize”.
The chancellor, who was part of the campaign for a second referendum to stop Brexit, told an audience at the LSE on Wednesday that the UK needs to be more closely integrated with one of the bigger blocs in a turbulent world.
Read more here:
Reeves says closer integration with EU is ‘biggest prize’ in Brexit shift
Reeves warned UK economy cannot afford another year of speculation about potential tax rises K
10:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Karen Ward, the managing director at JPMorgan Asset Management, warned the UK economy cannot afford another year of speculation around taxes rising.
She told an event in London: “If we go through yet another year where we are speculating on which taxes are going to go up through the course of the year, we're going to have another year of economically debilitating paralysis”.
I looked Trump in the eye as he backed the Chagos Islands deal. His constant U-turns are baffling
10:32 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPolitical editor David Maddox was in the Oval Office when Trump gave his blessing for the Chagos deal, but now the US president has changed his mind as the row over Greenland spirals out of control.
Read it here:
I looked Trump in the eye as he backed the Chagos deal – his U-turns are baffling
Breaking: Andrew has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, Thames Valley Police says
10:14 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPolice have arrived at the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on the Sandringham Estate.
Pictures circulating online appear to show unmarked police cars attending Wood Farm in Norfolk on Thursday, with plain-clothed officers appearing to gather outside the property.
Thames Valley Police previously said the force is reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Andrew, and claims he shared sensitive information with the paedophile while serving as the UK's trade envoy.
Norfolk Constabulary has been contacted for comment.
Follow our live blog here for the latest updates:
Police arrest Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor amid Epstein allegations – latest
Sharper than expected fall in net migration will add £3bn to UK’s borrowing, leading think tank warns
10:07 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
James Smith, the chief economist at the Resolution Foundation, said that recent statistics have pointed to a “much sharper fall” in net migration than forecasted.
He told an event in London looking ahead to Rachel Reeves spring statement at the start of next month that the fall will add around £3bn to borrowing.
'Don't give my island away to Mauritius'
09:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe interim first minister of the Chagos Islands has made a plea to the British government over its deal on the sovereignty of the islands, saying "don't give my island away to Mauritius".
Chagossian Misley Mandarin said he has got "a right to be on those islands".
He told Nick Ferrari on LBC that he was given a letter of eviction on Wednesday, but stressed he is prepared to stay on the islands "forever".
"The first thing what we want, as a British Overseas Territory citizen... stop that deal," he said.
"Don't give my island away to Mauritius."
Mr Mandarin was elected as the interim first minister in an independent poll of more than 1,000 Chagossians in December.
He added: "My message of British government, and especially to prime minister Keir Starmer: Think again. The US just said by President Trump: The deal is no good.
"They have to stop that treaty and bring British Chagossians back on British territory, soon as possible."
Breaking: Antonia Romeo is appointed as top UK civil servant
09:32 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer has appointed Dame Antonia Romeo as cabinet secretary and head of the Civil Service, it is understood.
Read more from this breaking news story here:
Watch: Starmer says 'nobody above the law' over Andrew allegations
09:30 , Tara CobhamParliament 'misled' over government saying weeks to secure Chagos deal, shadow minister claims
09:15 , Tara CobhamParliament was “misled” when the government said there were weeks to secure the UK’s Chagos Islands deal, a shadow minister has claimed.
Shadow safeguarding minister Alicia Kearns told Times Radio: “We have been misled, I think, as parliament, I’m afraid. We were told that there were weeks, only weeks for which the base (UK-US military base on Diego Garcia) could continue to operate safely. And now many, many months on, we’re now finding out that actually the entire basis on which the Labour government said they only had weeks to negotiate and get this done was not true.”
She claimed the legal basis upon which the deal was based was “not a solid basis”.
“They have done a bad deal,” the shadow minister told Times Radio.
“A deal was not necessary.
“We determined while we were in government, that is why we did not do one. They have done one. It is not a good deal, and the basis of their deal is not founded in law.”
Tech firms must remove ‘revenge porn’ in 48 hours or risk being blocked
09:00 , Tara CobhamTech firms will be ordered to remove “revenge porn” within 48 hours or risk being fined or banned from the UK under proposed laws announced by ministers.
Through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, the government will make it a legal requirement for companies to take down intimate images shared without a victim's consent no more than 48 hours after it is flagged to them,
If they fail to do, they would face large fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue or risk having their services blocked in the UK.
Political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
Tech firms must remove ‘revenge porn’ in 48 hours or risk being blocked
Chagos interim first minister calls for Starmer to cancel deal
08:45 , Tara CobhamThe interim first minister of the Chagos Islands government has called for Sir Keir Starmer to cancel the UK’s deal to hand sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, saying: “You could be a hero right now.”
Misley Mandarin told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’ll say Keir Starmer, as my Prime Minister, you have to look at this treaty again.
“British Chagossian on this island, yesterday you sent patrol to give us removal notice, the island belong to us. Harold Wilson did that… removing the Chagossian from their homeland and that is a stain on British politics but now it’s 2026, Keir Starmer, you could be a hero right now. Don’t ratify that deal, cancel that deal and let Chagossians come back to their homeland as British.”
He is part of a group of four Chagossians who this week returned to the islands, telling the programme: “We came in our homeland and we said that it has to stay British because we are British citizens.”
Mr Mandarin said “there’s no reason” for the UK’s deal “because Mauritius never owned Chagos Islands in the first place”.
“We are British and we are happy,” he told the programme, adding the British would have to “drag me from my beach” if they threaten arrest and removal from the islands.
Chagos conversations with US will continue, minister says
08:30 , Tara CobhamPolitical reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
Sir Keir Starmer will continue diplomatic efforts with the US after Donald Trump hit out at his Chagos Islands deal.
Victims’ minister Alex Davies-Jones said the government is “working closely with the Americans”.
She recalled the US president’s many positions on the deal, saying: “The first meeting that the prime minister had with President Trump, he stated that this was a good deal.
“Just two weeks ago, again, he reiterated that this was the best deal on the table. And just this week, the US administration stated that this was an important deal, and they backed it.
“So we will continue to have those conversations.”
'Nobody is above law': Starmer calls on Andrew to speak to UK and US authorities over Epstein
08:10 , Tara CobhamAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor should speak to the authorities in the UK and US about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the Prime Minister said: “Anybody who has any information should testify. So whether it’s Andrew or anybody else, anybody who has got relevant information should come forward to whatever the relevant body is, in this particular case we’re talking about Epstein, but there are plenty of other cases.
“Anybody who has got information relating to any aspect of violence against women and girls has, in my view, a duty to come forward, whoever they are.”
Sir Keir added: “One of the core principles in our system is that everybody is equal under the law, and nobody is above the law, and it is really important that is applied across the board.
“That is the principle. It’s a long-standing principle, it’s a very important principle of our country, our society, and it applies, and it has to apply in this case, in the same way as it would apply in any other case.”
Chagos bill will be brought back to parliament soon, minister says
08:00 , Tara CobhamPolitical reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
A government minister has said the bill ratifying the UK’s Chagos Islands deal will return to parliament soon.
The Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill began making its way through parliament last but is yet to return for its final stages.
Victims’ minister Alex Davies-Jones said the government will be bringing the bill back “as soon as parliamentary time allows”, despite Donald Trump’s most recent criticism.
“Our military base on Diego Garcia is a crucial, vital military asset to ensure that Britain and our citizens here are kept safe,” she told Sky News. “That is the priority for the government.”
Justice minister insists Chagos deal is important for national security
07:45 , Tara CobhamJustice minister Alex Davies-Jones said the UK’s Chagos Islands deal is important for national security, although said she had not been told why.
Speaking to Times Radio, Ms Davies-Jones said she had not been told about much of the activity on the Diego Garcia base, but praised the deal’s significance for the security of the UK and allies.
Ms Davies-Jones said the Bill would be brought back to Parliament “as soon as parliamentary time allows”.
She also said conversations would continue with the US after Donald Trump changed his position on the deal again and said it was a “big mistake”.
Ms Davies-Jones said: “I totally understand how people will be wondering exactly the details of this. There is a lot that happens on that base that not even I know, that a lot of our Government ministers don’t know, and that is vitally important for national security as well. It protects us from terrorism, it is crucial, vital infrastructure for national security, not just here in the UK, but for our allies as well, for our Americans who use that base, and it is important.”
She added: “There’s a lot of things, as I’ve stated, that happen on that base that not even I am privy to. I am entrusted by those who are in operation of that base, our military, our national security agencies who operate that base about how crucial that infrastructure is and our partners across the world as well.”
Analysis: Trump changes his mind on Chagos – again
07:29 , Tara CobhamPolitical reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
The US president launched a fresh attack on the UK’s Chagos Islands deal - just one day after his administration said he supported it.
In a post on social media, Donald Trump told Sir Keir Starmer: “DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
He called the deal “a big mistake”, and said the lease arrangement for the UK-US military base there was “no good”.
The u-turn may have confused diplomats, as just yesterday the US State Department said it supported the deal.
And earlier in February, Mr Trump personally backed the proposals, saying Sir Keir’s deal was “the best he could make”.
That statement came a week after the US president had described the deal as “an act of great stupidity”, despite his administration originally backing the agreement.
Tory MP lobbied Trump administration on Chagos Deal last week
07:02 , Harriette BoucherSir Iain Duncan Smith might have had involvement in Donald Trump’s U-turn on Chagos Islands deal after lobbying the Trump administration on the issue last week.
The former Tory leader is understood to have met key figures from the White House, national security council and departments of war and state, Sky News said.
In a post on social media, he said: “President Trump is absolutely right to tell Starmer to abandon the terrible chagos deal with Mauritius.
“POTUS understands how strategically important the airbase at Diego Garcia is. It is a bad deal that would cost UK taxpayers £34.7 billion.
“There was never any legal reason for us to enter into any agreement with Mauritius...none at all. The Chagossian people should be allowed to return to their islands as British citizens, with control over their domestic affairs.”
Ed Davey calls for closer ties to Europe amid Trump's Chagos Islands comments
06:00 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump's position change on the Chagos Islands deal shows that the UK needed to pursue closer relations with Europe, Sir Ed Davey said.
In a statement on X, the Liberal Democrat leader said: "Trump's endless flip-flopping on the Chagos Islands shows why Starmer's approach is doomed to fail.
"Britain can't rely on the US while Trump is in the White House. It's time to strengthen our ties with allies we can depend on, starting with our neighbours in Europe."
Recap: Trump continues to flip-flop over Chagos Islands deal
05:00 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s White House Correspondent Andrew Feinberg:
President Trump on Wednesday said he has now been urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer not to go through with handing control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius because the proposed 100-year lease on Diego Garcia (where a key British-American air base is located) would be a "big mistake."
In a post on Truth Social, the former real estate mogul says he's been telling Mr Starmer that "leases are no good when it comes to countries" and accused him of "losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before" while calling Mauritius' claims over the islands "fictitious in nature."
Mr Trump also suggested that Diego Garcia would be used in any U.S. action against Iran "in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime — An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries."
"Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally," he said.
Mr Trump added that the U.S. would "always be ready, willing and able to fight for the U.K." while urging London to "remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them."
The president's outburst is the latest in a whipsawing series of position changes over the Chagos agreement and the Diego Garcia lease.
Trump previously criticised the agreement in a social media rant last month in which he accused Mr Starmer of "great stupidity" for carrying out the plan to cede control of the Chagos and linked the agreement to his desire to annex Greenland for the United States over the objections of Denmark and the rest of Nato.
But he reversed course weeks later by describing the agreement as “the best” the Labour leader could strike.
A complete timeline of Trump's flip-flopping over Chagos Islands deal:
04:01 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump has hit out at Keir Starmer, saying he is making a huge mistake with the Chagos Islands deal.
It is yet another flip-flop from the US president, who has previously supported the agreement.
Here is a timeline of his administration’s U-turns:
Trump says Chagos Islands talks “going to work out very well”
In February 2025, Trump indicated he would be prepared to back the deal, saying: "They're talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years actually.
"That's a long time, and I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country."
Speaking in the Oval Office alongside Starmer, he said: “We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well.”
Trump “welcomes” the deal
Following the announcement of the deal in May, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said: “President Trump has welcomed the deal along with other allies, because they see the strategic importance of this base and that we cannot cede the ground to others who would seek to do us harm.
“Following a comprehensive interagency review, the Trump Administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint U.S.-UK military facility at Diego Garcia.”
Trump brands Chagos Islands deal an “act of great stupidity”
In January, Trump launched an attack on Starmer, saying: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”
Trump says deal is best Starmer could get
In February, Trump again backtracked, and signalled his support for the deal, saying it was the “best he could make”
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “I understand that the deal Prime Minister Starmer has made, according to many, (is) the best he could make.”
US State Department “supports” Chagos agreement
On Tuesday The US State Department on Tuesday said it “supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago”.
Trump's Chagos Islands defiance is 'utter humiliation' for Starmer
03:00 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump’s opposition of Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal is “utter humiliation” for the prime minister, the shadow foreign secretary has stated.
Dame Priti Patel said: "President Trump has once again publicly rebuked Keir Starmer and his Government over their ill-judged, unnecessary and expensive Chagos Surrender. This is an utter humiliation for Starmer.
"It's time Starmer finally saw sense, u-turned and scrapped this appalling deal altogether. Giving up British sovereign territory to an ally of China and paying for the privilege is irresponsible and reckless and is clearly undermining our relationship with our most important ally.
"While Starmer, Labour and their leftie lawyer friends threaten to undermine our security and defence, the Conservatives will keep fighting against the Chagos Surrender for as long as it takes."
Where are the Chagos Islands and why are they so important?
02:00 , Harriette BoucherLast year, Sir Keir agreed a deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the UK-US military base on the island of Diego Garcia.
In return, the UK has been promised a 99-year lease on the base, in return for an average annual fee of £101m in current prices. The government estimates this will mean a total cost of £3.4bn.
These islands are currently governed by the UK as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), and have been in some form since 1814. In 1965, the UK and US officially detached the islands from Mauritius for joint defence purposes, creating a separate colony and forcibly removing native Chagossians soon after.
Mauritius will be free to arrange the resettlement of Chagossians on all islands in the archipelago under the terms, except for Diego Garcia.
What is the UK’s Chagos Islands deal and why has Starmer delayed it?
What caused Trump to U-turn on Chagos Islands deal?
01:00 , Harriette BoucherAnalysis by The Independent’s White House Correspondent Andrew Feinberg:
It's unclear what has triggered Mr Trump's latest switcharoo on the Chagos deal and plans to lease back Diego Garcia, but the agreement has been the subject of much transatlantic hand-wringing even before the president's 2024 election victory over Kamala Harris.
In the months before American voters chose to return Trump to power after four years in political exile following his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, legal experts aligned with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage drew up advice that was fed to Mr Trump with the aim of having him scuttle the deal if given the chance.
Yet Mr Trump signaled his assent to the agreement last February during an Oval Office meeting with Mr Starmer in which he said he "had a feeling it is going to work out very well" and said he thought he'd be "inclined to go along" with the agreement despite a fierce lobbying campaign against it by Mr Farage and others.
In the year since, he has flip-flopped several times, most recently today when he again claimed to oppose the Chagos handover while urging the U.K. to "remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them."
White House officials aren't saying what has prompted the president's latest change of heart, but his invocation of "wokeism" is a strong indicator that he now sees the planned handover to an African government as something akin to the reparations that many American progressives say are owed to the descendants of slaves.
Explanations from No. 10 that have been based on invoking international law to justify the deal are also likely falling flat with Mr Trump, who has spent much of his first year in office pushing for the U.S. to annex Greenland, the sovereign territory of a Nato ally, Denmark.
Watch: Trump says he's 'against' the UK's Chagos deal in January
00:00 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump U-turned on the Chagos Islands deal in January after previously supporting the agreement.
He then came out in support of the deal again in February, before backtracking again on Wednesday.
Tory MP lobbied Trump administration on Chagos Deal last week
Wednesday 18 February 2026 23:01 , Harriette BoucherSir Iain Duncan Smith might have had involvement in Donald Trump’s U-turn on Chagos Islands deal after lobbying the Trump administration on the issue last week.
The former Tory leader is understood to have met key figures from the White House, national security council and departments of war and state, Sky News said.
In a post on social media, he said: “President Trump is absolutely right to tell Starmer to abandon the terrible chagos deal with Mauritius.
“POTUS understands how strategically important the airbase at Diego Garcia is. It is a bad deal that would cost UK taxpayers £34.7 billion.
“There was never any legal reason for us to enter into any agreement with Mauritius...none at all. The Chagossian people should be allowed to return to their islands as British citizens, with control over their domestic affairs.”
Farage backs Trump in calls for UK to scrap Chagos Islands deal
Wednesday 18 February 2026 23:00 , Harriette BoucherNigel Farage has supported Donald Trump’s calls for Keir Starmer to scrap the Chagos Islands deal, which the US president said was a “big mistake".
“Keir Starmer risks alienating our most important ally by giving away the Chagos Islands, the worst deal in British history,” the leader of Reform said.
“President Trump is right to say the Prime Minister is making a big mistake. Starmer must cancel this deal.”
Starmer previously said Trump U-turned on Chagos Deal over Greenland
Wednesday 18 February 2026 22:30 , Harriette BoucherKeir Starmer previously accused Donald Trump of backtracking on the Chagos Islands deal in an attempt to apply pressure on the prime minister over his position on Greenland.
Donald Trump, who has sought to annex the territory, changed his mind last month on the deal and said it was “an act of great stupidity”.
Speaking at PMQs last month, Starmer said: “President Trump deployed words on Chagos yesterday that were different to his previous words of welcome and support when I met him in the White House.
“He deployed those words yesterday for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland.
“He wants me to yield on my position, and I'm not going to do so.”
Donald Trump's statement on Chagos Islands deal in full:
Wednesday 18 February 2026 22:03 , Harriette Boucher“I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
“Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before.
“In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature. Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime — An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries. Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease.
“This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally.
“We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the U.K., but they have to remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them. DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
Trump slates Starmer over Chagos deal: full report
Wednesday 18 February 2026 20:51 , Jane DaltonTrump slates Starmer over Chagos Islands lease deal – in third U-turn
A complete timeline of Trump's flip-flopping over Chagos Islands deal:
Wednesday 18 February 2026 20:40 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump has hit out at Keir Starmer, saying he is making a huge mistake with the Chagos Islands deal.
It is yet another flip-flop from the US president, who has previously supported the agreement.
Here is a timeline of his administration’s U-turns:
Trump says Chagos Islands talks “going to work out very well”
In February 2025, Trump indicated he would be prepared to back the deal, saying: "They're talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years actually.
"That's a long time, and I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country."
Speaking in the Oval Office alongside Starmer, he said: “We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well.”
Trump “welcomes” the deal
Following the announcement of the deal in May, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said: “President Trump has welcomed the deal along with other allies, because they see the strategic importance of this base and that we cannot cede the ground to others who would seek to do us harm.
“Following a comprehensive interagency review, the Trump Administration determined that this agreement secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint U.S.-UK military facility at Diego Garcia.”
Trump brands Chagos Islands deal an “act of great stupidity”
In January, Trump launched an attack on Starmer, saying: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired.”
Trump says deal is best Starmer could get
In February, Trump again backtracked, and signalled his support for the deal, saying it was the “best he could make”
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “I understand that the deal Prime Minister Starmer has made, according to many, (is) the best he could make.”
US State Department “supports” agreement
On Tuesday The US State Department on Tuesday said it “supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago”.
Foreign office defends Chagos Islands deal
Wednesday 18 February 2026 20:26 , Harriette BoucherThe UK’s foreign office has said the Chagos Islands deal is crucial for UK security in response to Donald Trump’s criticisms earlier.
A FCDO spokesperson said: “The deal to secure the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia military is crucial to the security of the UK and our key allies, and to keeping the British people safe.
“The agreement we have reached is the only way to guarantee the long-term future of this vital military base.”
What caused Trump to U-turn on Chagos Islands deal?
Wednesday 18 February 2026 20:23 , Harriette BoucherAnalysis by The Independent’s White House Correspondent Andrew Feinberg:
It's unclear what has triggered Mr Trump's latest switcharoo on the Chagos deal and plans to lease back Diego Garcia, but the agreement has been the subject of much transatlantic hand-wringing even before the president's 2024 election victory over Kamala Harris.
In the months before American voters chose to return Trump to power after four years in political exile following his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, legal experts aligned with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage drew up advice that was fed to Mr Trump with the aim of having him scuttle the deal if given the chance.
Yet Mr Trump signaled his assent to the agreement last February during an Oval Office meeting with Mr Starmer in which he said he "had a feeling it is going to work out very well" and said he thought he'd be "inclined to go along" with the agreement despite a fierce lobbying campaign against it by Mr Farage and others.
In the year since, he has flip-flopped several times, most recently today when he again claimed to oppose the Chagos handover while urging the U.K. to "remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them."
White House officials aren't saying what has prompted the president's latest change of heart, but his invocation of "wokeism" is a strong indicator that he now sees the planned handover to an African government as something akin to the reparations that many American progressives say are owed to the descendants of slaves.
Explanations from No. 10 that have been based on invoking international law to justify the deal are also likely falling flat with Mr Trump, who has spent much of his first year in office pushing for the U.S. to annex Greenland, the sovereign territory of a Nato ally, Denmark.
What is the UK’s Chagos Islands deal and why has Starmer delayed it?
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:58 , Harriette BoucherLast year, Sir Keir agreed a deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of the UK-US military base on the island of Diego Garcia.
In return, the UK has been promised a 99-year lease on the base, in return for an average annual fee of £101m in current prices. The government estimates this will mean a total cost of £3.4bn.
These islands are currently governed by the UK as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), and have been in some form since 1814. In 1965, the UK and US officially detached the islands from Mauritius for joint defence purposes, creating a separate colony and forcibly removing native Chagossians soon after.
Mauritius will be free to arrange the resettlement of Chagossians on all islands in the archipelago under the terms, except for Diego Garcia.
What is the UK’s Chagos Islands deal and why has Starmer delayed it?
Trump's Chagos Islands defiance is 'utter humiliation' for Starmer
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:57 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump’s criticism of Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal is “utter humiliation” for the prime minister, the shadow foreign secretary said.
In a statement, Dame Priti Patel said: "President Trump has once again publicly rebuked Keir Starmer and his Government over their ill-judged, unnecessary and expensive Chagos Surrender. This is an utter humiliation for Starmer.
"It's time Starmer finally saw sense, u-turned and scrapped this appalling deal altogether. Giving up British sovereign territory to an ally of China and paying for the privilege is irresponsible and reckless and is clearly undermining our relationship with our most important ally.
"While Starmer, Labour and their leftie lawyer friends threaten to undermine our security and defence, the Conservatives will keep fighting against the Chagos Surrender for as long as it takes."
Ed Davey calls for closer ties to Europe amid Trump's Chagos Islands comments
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:54 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump's position change on the Chagos Islands deal shows that the UK needed to pursue closer relations with Europe, Sir Ed Davey said.
In a statement on X, the Liberal Democrat leader said: "Trump's endless flip-flopping on the Chagos Islands shows why Starmer's approach is doomed to fail.
"Britain can't rely on the US while Trump is in the White House. It's time to strengthen our ties with allies we can depend on, starting with our neighbours in Europe."
US gave green light on Chagos Islands deal on Tuesday
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:47 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump’s comments criticising Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal follow an endorsement from the US State Department just hours beforehand.
On Tuesday, the department said it "supports the decision of the United Kingdom to proceed with its agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos archipelago".
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Mr Trump urged Starmer against the deal, saying it would be a "a big mistake”.
Trump continues to flip-flop over Chagos Islands deal
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:23 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s White House Correspondent Andrew Feinberg:
President Trump on Wednesday said he has now been urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer not to go through with handing control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius because the proposed 100-year lease on Diego Garcia (where a key British-American air base is located) would be a "big mistake."
In a post on Truth Social, the former real estate mogul says he's been telling Mr Starmer that "leases are no good when it comes to countries" and accused him of "losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before" while calling Mauritius' claims over the islands "fictitious in nature."
Mr Trump also suggested that Diego Garcia would be used in any U.S. action against Iran "in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime — An attack that would potentially be made on the United Kingdom, as well as other friendly Countries."
"Prime Minister Starmer should not lose control, for any reason, of Diego Garcia, by entering a tenuous, at best, 100 Year Lease. This land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally," he said.
Mr Trump added that the U.S. would "always be ready, willing and able to fight for the U.K." while urging London to "remain strong in the face of Wokeism, and other problems put before them."
The president's outburst is the latest in a whipsawing series of position changes over the Chagos agreement and the Diego Garcia lease.
Trump previously criticised the agreement in a social media rant last month in which he accused Mr Starmer of "great stupidity" for carrying out the plan to cede control of the Chagos and linked the agreement to his desire to annex Greenland for the United States over the objections of Denmark and the rest of Nato.
But he reversed course weeks later by describing the agreement as “the best” the Labour leader could strike.
Trump says Diego Garcia will be necessary if Iran doesn't agree to a deal
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:18 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump has said Chagos Islands Diego Garcia, where the US-UK military base is, will be necessary if Iran doesn’t make a deal with the US.
In a post on Truth Social, the US president said: “Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime.”
The US is currently in nuclear talks with Iran and has threatened military action against the country.
White House press secretary says Trump comments should be taken as policy of administration
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:07 , Harriette BoucherKaroline Leavitt has said Donald Trump’s post urging Starmer to back out of the Chagos Islands deal should be taken as the policy of the Trump administration.
She said: “It's coming straight from the horse's mouth when you see it on truth social, you know it's directly from President Trump.
“That's the beauty of this President and his transparency and and relaying this administration's policies to all of you and to the rest of the world."
Trump warns Starmer 'making a big mistake' with Chagos Islands deal
Wednesday 18 February 2026 19:00 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump has called out Keir Starmer for making a “big mistake” with the Chagos Islands deal.
In a post on social media, the US president said: “I have been telling Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the United Kingdom, that Leases are no good when it comes to Countries, and that he is making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease with whoever it is that is ‘claiming’ Right, Title, and Interest to Diego Garcia, strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
“Our relationship with the United Kingdom is a strong and powerful one, and it has been for many years, but Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before. In our opinion, they are fictitious in nature.”
Why does Reform want to tear up the vote-winning Equality Act?
Wednesday 18 February 2026 18:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe latest stage in Nigel Farage’s ever-growing ‘war on woke’ could help propel him to Downing Street – and will make life worse for everyone, not just wheelchair-users like me, says James Moore:
Why does Reform want to tear up the vote-winning Equality Act?
Reform would make 'full use' of North Sea oil, Jenrick claims
Wednesday 18 February 2026 17:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA future Reform UK government would make "full use" of North Sea oil, Robert Jenrick has claimed.
He said: "When Westminster got swept away with net zero fanaticism, Richard Tice was a lonely voice of common sense."
Mr Jenrick, the Reform UK Treasury spokesman, said: "You can trust Reform to scrap the impossible targets that are driving energy costs through the roof, the farce of paying vast amounts of cash for intermittent and unreliable energy delivered at the wrong times."
The Conservative defector said his new party would make "full use of the gold buried in the North Sea to keep the lights on and bring in revenue".
Strategic industries including steel and car-making will be protected under Reform UK
Wednesday 18 February 2026 17:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainStrategic industries including steel and car-making will be protected under Reform UK, as the party's Treasury spokesman said China will benefit from jobs being lost in Britain.
Robert Jenrick said businesses will be forced to hire British workers rather than recruiting from overseas as he outlined the party's broad industrial strategy.
He said the world had "fundamentally changed" and Britain's "trade posture" has to adapt.
Mr Jenrick said: "Free trade with our friends and allies is advantageous, but we must respond robustly when our rivals consistently cheat the system and leverage dependencies to our disadvantage.
"A Government led by Nigel Farage will never display the weakness Keir Starmer showed towards China. We will never ignore the interplay between economics and security, as some in the Conservative Party wish to do."
He continued: "Reform do not believe in picking winners, but, yes, we do believe in an industrial strategy to protect our strategic industries like steel, defence and car-making.
"Because unless we change course now, we will trade a car made in Sunderland for a car made in Shenzhen. The Chinese building their middle class on the backs of ours, and Reform we will never allow that to happen.
"We believe in levelling the playing fields so that British businesses can succeed. But we are not going to sit back if British businesses are being cheated or our critical industries should go extinct. We're going to salvage them, we're going to rebuild them."
A Reform UK government would peruse 'serious delegation' - Jenrick
Wednesday 18 February 2026 17:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA future Reform UK government would peruse "serious deregulation", Robert Jenrick has said.
But the former Tory MP said he had not yet decided on what fiscal rules his new party would set out.
He told the press conference: "We're going to pursue serious deregulation in all sectors, from small businesses right the way up to the city, and we're going to be spending the weeks and the months ahead developing those policies.
"But you can be assured this is going to be a big change, and the balance we're going to strike is exactly what I set out at the end of my remarks.
"We're going to be conservative when it comes to preserving what's important, like fiscal responsibility and stability in the economy.
"But we are going to be radical where we need to be, to shake up this economy, shake it out of its malaise and get it going again.
"We're not going to make up fiscal rules on the first day in my role," the Reform UK Treasury spokesman added.
Police probe claims Labour bribed voters with food to support by-election candidate
Wednesday 18 February 2026 16:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPolice are investigating claims Labour tried to bribe voters with food in an upcoming Westminster by-election.
The probe comes after a video emerged of an event where attendees were told to hold up posters “if you want to get fed”.
The dinner is thought to have been organised as part of Labour’s campaign to win next week’s Gorton and Denton by-election.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police told The Independent: “We are aware and investigations are ongoing.”
Read more here:
Police probe claims Labour bribed voters with food to support by-election candidate
Inflation is falling - so what does that mean for my mortgage or savings?
Wednesday 18 February 2026 16:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainInflation has been a tough nut to crack in the UK over the past two years, but is firmly on the downward path and at the start of 2026 finally looks like it is within sight of its intended landing spot.
After falling then rising once more last year, Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figures for January came in at 3 per cent, the lowest level in 11 months and on track to hit the 2 per cent target by spring.
While the rate is lowering, remember, that does not mean prices are coming down - it means they are rising more slowly than previously.
Read more here:
What does falling inflation mean for my savings and mortgage?
Farage accused of ‘divisive politics’ over unproven claim middle class white men are losing jobs because of Equality Act
Wednesday 18 February 2026 16:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainNigel Farage has been accused of "playing into short-sighted, divisive politics" after making unproven claims that middle-class, white men are losing jobs because of the Equality Act.
His claim came just a day after Suella Braverman, Reform UK’s new equality and education chief, promised to scrap the act on day one if her party won the next election, claiming that Britain is being “ripped apart by diversity, equality and inclusion” policies.
The Equality Act 2010 – which replaced previous anti-discrimination laws – legally protects people with protected characteristics, including: age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.
Farage condemned for unproven claim white men are losing jobs because of Equality Act
If Robert Jenrick applied to be my chancellor, I’d laugh his CV out the door
Wednesday 18 February 2026 15:37 , Maryam Zakir-HussainBetter known for owning so many houses that he couldn’t decide which one to lock down in under Covid regulations, the new shining star of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is even less qualified for the most important job in the country than the current incumbent, says John Rentoul:
What on earth makes Robert Jenrick qualified to be chancellor? The man who would be running the nation’s treasury was supposedly awarded the title of “Reform’s shadow chancellor” by Nigel Farage because he was the “most anti-Truss” choice available. Unlike Farage himself, Jenrick did not praise Liz Truss’s mini-Budget as “the best Conservative Budget since 1986”. So that’s a plus.
Read more here:
If Robert Jenrick applied to be my chancellor, I’d laugh him out the door
