The Government announced a “historic” deal on Thursday to renounce UK sovereignty over a chain of Indian Ocean islands claimed by Mauritius - but it will retain effective control over one island that houses a vital US military base.
Under the deal reached by Sir Keir Starmer with Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) or Chagos Islands is to be handed back more than five decades after the rest of Mauritius won independence from the UK.
