Keir Starmer has hit out at Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch for ‘being in the same column as Russia’ in their criticism of the government’s Chagos Island’s deal.
On Thursday, the prime minister confirmed the UK had signed a deal to hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius, and lease back the military base there for £101m a year.
The lease on the base is for 99 years, with Starmer saying the deal represents “very good value” and is in the UK’s national interest.
However, it has been criticised by the Conservatives and Reform UK, who both oppose the deal. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said the UK should not be paying to “surrender British territory to Mauritius, whilst Reform’s Richard Tice has labelled it a “Starmer surrender sell out.”
Hitting back at the criticism from the two parties, Starmer pointed out how Badenoch and Farage were in the same camp as the likes of Russia and Iran by opposing the deal.
After announcing the deal, Starmer told reporters: “It’s worth reminding ourselves who is in favour of this deal and who is against it. In favour are all of our allies – the US, NATO, Five Eyes, India.
“Against it – Russia, China, Iran. Surprisingly, the Leader of the Opposition and Nigel Farage are in that column alongside Russia, China and Iran, rather than the column that has the UK and its allies in it.”
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