UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – British PM Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal sparks surge of islanders to UK, with councils urging government funding for housing and support services.
As reported by The Telegraph, many Chagossians are arriving in Britain in significant numbers after Keir Starmer handed their islands to Mauritius.
Over recent months, major airports have reported a sharp increase in arriving families, many seeming to make quick decisions to relocate to Britain.
What did Hillingdon Council say about the surge in Chagos arrivals?
Hillingdon Council reported a rise in Chagossian arrivals since deal talks began in October. The final quarter of last year saw 187 arrivals, with an additional 156 arriving since the start of this year.
The council stated that it was
“seeing a significant number of families arrive from the Chagos Islands via Heathrow without onward travel plans and seeking housing support.”
The lack of job or housing plans among newcomers suggests a hurried move fueled by fears about their future. Though the council must provide help as they are British citizens, it only receives government support for 10 days of accommodation.
What did Cllr Ian Edwards say about the rising number of Chagossians arriving in Hillingdon?
Cllr Ian Edwards of Tory-run Hillingdon Council said the rising arrivals were straining local services, urging the Government for more financial help.
According to him, new arrivals shared that their departure from Mauritius was sparked by the transfer of the Chagos Islands.
Mr Edwards added,
“Increasingly we are hearing, and it’s being evidenced, that they don’t wish to become Mauritian citizens so the alternative is come to the UK.”
What did Olivier Bancoult say about the Chagos Islands deal and Chagossian rights?
The Chagos Refugees Group in Mauritius said most island-born Chagossians and their descendants have backed the deal.
Olivier Bancoult, its president, stated,
“This agreement marks the end of colonial occupation, but it must not herald the start of a new silence.”
He added,
“Alongside Mauritian sovereignty, there must now be clear guarantees for Chagossian rights – for memory, for justice, and above all, for the future.”
Critics view on Keir Starmer’s Chagos deal
Chagossians received British citizenship under Tony Blair’s government in 2002, giving them the legal right to live and work in Britain.
Critics claim Sir Keir betrayed the islanders this week by signing the transfer of the Indian Ocean archipelago after 200 years under British rule. Number 10 has ceded control of the islands to Mauritius, which is located 1,500 miles away and has never owned them before.
The UK will lease Diego Garcia, the largest island and home to a joint military base, from Mauritius for 99 years at £30 billion.
The deal has faced criticism over security concerns and the absence of negotiations with Chagossians hoping to return.
What did Keir Starmer say about the Chagos Islands deal?
On 22 May, Keir Starmer described the deal as a key contribution to Britain’s security ties with the United States.
He insisted there was no “alternative” to the pact, defending its cost as “part and parcel of using Britain’s reach to keep us safe at home,” adding it was cheaper than operating an aircraft carrier annually.
What did Priti Patel say about Starmer’s Chagos deal remarks?
The shadow foreign secretary, Priti Patel, claimed Sir Keir Starmer unfairly smeared the Chagossian community by linking critics of the deal to hostile states.
She said,
“He has resorted to baseless and disgusting slurs – whilst he himself hands control of Chagos to a country that is actually cosying up with Russia and China.”
Chagos Islands deal
- UK cedes Chagos to Mauritius, leases Diego Garcia
- £101m/year for 99-year US-UK base lease
- The deal follows the UN court ruling against UK sovereignty
- Chagossians protest, demanding the right to return
- US backs deal, calls base “critical” for security
- £3.4bn total cost after inflation adjustments