CP
Conservative MPs are preparing to launch a last-ditch attempt to block Labour’s controversial Chagos Islands deal next week, warning that it could open the door for Chinese espionage in the Indian Ocean.
The move comes as Labour faces mounting political turmoil following the collapse of a high-profile China spy case, which has reignited scrutiny over national security and Downing Street’s handling of Beijing-related issues.
Senior Conservatives plan to force a vote in Parliament to delay or halt the Chagos agreement by holding up billions of pounds in planned payments to Mauritius, the island nation set to assume control of the archipelago under the deal.
The Chagos giveaway, which would also cost British taxpayers as much as £47 billion over the next century, has been sharply criticised by Tory MPs, security experts and former ministers. The deal would see Mauritius, a country with deep economic ties to China, take possession of the Chagos Islands, a British territory for nearly two centuries.
At the heart of the row is Diego Garcia, a strategically vital military base jointly operated by the UK and the United States. The atoll has long served as a key hub for military operations across the Middle East and Indo-Pacific.
Security experts have warned that the transfer could enable Beijing to extend its surveillance reach through its close relationship with Port Louis. Some MPs fear China could establish a monitoring post on a nearby island, giving it the ability to observe British and American defence activities in the region.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel issued a blistering rebuke of the Prime Minister’s approach, accusing him of “kowtowing to China.”
“Our spineless Prime Minister is kowtowing to China,” Patel said. “He is so desperate for the CCP’s approval, he is prepared to hand over his own country’s sovereignty – not to mention £40 billion of taxpayers’ cash – to an ally of Beijing.
As usual, he is running scared of scrutiny. He can’t face being held to account over Chagos and China, because he knows his arguments don’t stand up.
He thinks that by hiding behind the façade of international law, he can betray the British people and get away with it.
But the Conservatives will always stand up for the national interest, and so we will resist Starmer’s Chagos-China Surrender Bill every step of the way.”
Under the proposed legislation, Britain would formally cede the islands to Mauritius in accordance with a 2019 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which stated that the territory should be returned. The Government argues that rejecting the ICJ’s recommendation could weaken Britain’s position in future sovereignty disputes.
The Conservatives and several high profile critics, however, have questioned the legal and strategic logic behind the move. They note that ICJ opinions are non-binding and claim the Government is needlessly undermining national security in the process.
The Conservative Party intend to table a series of amendments to the bill this week, including one that would require Parliament to approve any payments to Mauritius before they are made. The change would effectively force MPs to vote annually on hundreds of millions of pounds in transfers to the island nation.
Another amendment seeks to delay the agreement’s implementation until the Government releases Lord Hermer’s full legal justification for the deal. Questions have also been raised about the role of Attorney General Jonathan Powell, who has been closely linked both to the Chagos negotiations and the broader national security apparatus.
The final Commons debate on the Chagos Islands Bill is expected to take place in the coming days. Conservative MPs say they will use every parliamentary mechanism available to prevent what they describe as a dangerous and unnecessary surrender of British territory and leverage to a nation closely aligned with Beijing.
Meanwhile, on 28 October, the Chagossians, led by Misley Mandarin, will learn in the High Court whether they can proceed with their judicial review against the Government, coordinated by the Great British PAC.
This article (Conservatives to Force Parliamentary Vote on Starmer’s Chagos Surrender Amid China Spying Concerns) was created and published by Conservative Post and is republished here under “Fair Use” with attribution to the author CP
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