Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
Sir ‘s “national security” explanation for handing over the Chagos Islands was proposed by one of his friends, according to reports.
The Labour Government plans to cede sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, but then pay to lease back the strategically important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.
Downing Street yesterday suggested that access to a key communications system could be put at risk without the controversial deal.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that the “electromagnetic spectrum” at the base which “enables secure communications in the region” would not be able to continue to operate without an agreement.
He said: “The very clear advice that we have is that the future operation of the base without a deal would be at risk.
“The base would be inoperable on current terms and it wouldn’t be able to operate as it should, which would mean it would be bad for our national security and a gift for our adversaries.”
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The spokesman added: “For example, the electromagnetic spectrum at the Diego Garcia base would not be able to continue to operate without a deal.”
He said the “system enables secure communications in the region, something that the UK and the US have currently got unique access to. It’s the case that without legal certainty over the base it’s something we would lose access to.”
The same argument was made in favour of the deal by Philippe Sands, an international lawyer and long-time friend of Sir Keir, The Telegraph reports.
Mr Sands, who previously called the PM a “great friend”, has represented Mauritius in its claims that it should own the islands for decades.
In 2023, he wrote in the book The International Legal Order in the 21st Century: “We can expect the International Telecommunication Union to resolve that UK authorised telecommunications services operating from Chagos are unlawful.”
But Tory former security minister Tom Tuhendhat has dismissed the justification involving the communications system as “nonsense”.
The Prime Minister on Wednesday told MPs that without a deal national security could be at risk.
Responding to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s suggestions that the deal amounted to an “immoral surrender”, the Prime Minister said that Diegeo Garcia is “vital to our national security” but “a number of years ago the legal certainty of that base was thrown into doubt”.
He added: “Without legal certainty, the base cannot operate in practical terms as it should.
“That is bad for our national security and it’s a gift for our adversaries.”