A Labour minister has squirmed under pressure after being questioned about the Government's plans to hand over of the Chagos Islands as well as billions of pounds. The British Indian Ocean Territory includes a crucial naval base on land leased by the United States from the UK military. Since 1971. Only the atoll of Diego Garcia has been inhabited

Sir Keir Starmer has defended the controversial Chagos Islands deal after the Conservative leader branded it an "immoral surrender". The Government plans to give the British Indian Ocean Territory back to Mauritius and pay to lease the strategically important US-UK military base on the largest island,

The UK has effectively doubled its financial offer to Mauritius over the Chagos Islands deal, with payments now frontloaded and linked to inflation, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushes ahead with the controversial handover that awaits Donald Trump's approval.