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Sky News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Injunction blocking Chagos Islands deal should be lifted, High Court rules
The High Court has ruled the government can sign the Chagos Island deal after a late-night injunction attempted to block it. Early on Thursday, an emergency injunction from the High Court had stopped the government from concluding the Chagos Island deal to hand over sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius. Mr Justice Goose had allowed "interim relief" to Bertrice Pompe, who had previously taken steps to bring legal action against the Foreign Office over the deal. Ms Pompe is a Chagossian woman who sees the deal as a betrayal of their rights. The order, granted at 2.25am, had said the government may take "no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer". But after a hearing at the High Court on Thursday, a judge said the temporary injunction should be discharged. This means the government could still sign the Chagos deal in the coming hours. Downing Street welcomed this decision, saying the agreement is "vital to protect the British people and our national security". Mr Justice Chamberlain told the High Court that the "public interest and the interests of the United Kingdom would be substantially prejudiced by the grant or continuance of interim relief", He said: "These matters provide a strong public interest reason against the continuance of interim relief." Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
Sky News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Judge temporarily blocks UK from completing Chagos Islands deal
The government has been temporarily blocked from concluding the Chagos Islands deal by a late-night High Court injunction. Ministers had been expected to complete a deal that would have seen the UK hand over sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius in the coming hours. But in an emergency injunction granted early on Thursday, brought against the Foreign Office, Mr Justice Goose allowed "interim relief" to Bertrice Pompe, who had previously taken steps to bring legal action over the deal. Ms Pompe is a Chagossian woman who sees the deal as a betrayal of their rights. The order, granted at 2.25am, states the government may take "no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer". A hearing is expected to take place at the High Court at 10.30am on Thursday. The government insisted this morning the Chagos Islands deal is the "right thing" for the UK. A spokesperson said: "We do not comment on ongoing legal cases. This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security." It was expected that Sir Keir Starmer would attend a virtual ceremony today to formally hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite heavy criticism from the Conservatives and Reform UK. The government has argued international legal rulings in favour of Mauritius mean this handover is necessary. As part of the deal, the UK will lease back a military base on the archipelago for 99 years. Robert Jenrick, the former justice secretary, told Sky News that the Chagos Islands deal is a "sell-out for British interests". He said: "You're seeing British sovereign territory being given away to an ally of China and billions of pounds of British taxpayers money being spent for the privilege. "So, if this group can force the government to think twice, then all power to them." With this injunction in place, Sir Keir can no longer legally complete the deal. Ms Pompe, who filed the application for interim relief, believes the British government is acting with disregard for the human rights of the Chagossian people. She has argued completion of the deal would amount to a breach of the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act. Chagossians are the former residents of the Chagos Islands, who were removed from the islands, predominantly to Mauritius, between the mid-1960s and early-1970s. Those born on the islands and their children hold British nationality, but subsequent generations born outside British territory have no entitlement to it.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chagos deal paused by last-minute legal action
The government has temporarily been banned from concluding talks on the Chagos Islands deal by a last-minute injunction by a High Court judge. At 02:25 BST Mr Justice Goose granted "interim relief" to two Chagossian women who had brought a case against the Foreign Office. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had been expected to attend a virtual signing ceremony with representatives of the Mauritian government on Thursday morning. The agreement would see the UK hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, but allow the UK and US to continue using an airbase located on the Pacific Ocean archipelago. A government spokesperson said: "We do not comment on ongoing legal cases. This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security." The court will hear the case again at 10:30 on Thursday. In his order, the judge said: "The defendant shall take no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer." "The defendant is to maintain the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom over the British Indian Ocean Territory until further order." The order states that the judge granted the injunction "upon consideration of the claimant's application for interim relief made out of court hours" and "upon reading the defendants' response". Trump 'inclined' to back UK's Chagos Islands deal UK finalising Chagos deal with Mauritius, says No 10 The legal action was brought by two Chagossian women, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrie Pompe. Earlier this year, their lawyer Michael Polak said: "The government's attempt to give away the Chagossians' homeland whilst failing to hold a formal consultation with the Chagossian people is a continuation of their terrible treatment by the authorities in the past. "They remain the people with the closest connection to the islands, but their needs and wishes are being ignored."
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
High court judge blocks UK from concluding Chagos Islands deal
A high court judge has blocked the UK government from concluding its deal to hand over the Chagos Islands with an injunction granted in the early hours of Thursday. The agreement to hand sovereignty over the Chagos islands to Mauritius was due to be given the green light by ministers on Thursday. Downing Street lifted its objection to announcing the deal over the prospect of a political backlash, according to reports, with the prime minister due to attend a virtual event with the Mauritian government. But in the injunction granted at 2.25am on Thursday, brought against the Foreign Office, Mr Justice Goose granted 'interim relief' to Bertrice Pompe. Pompe, who was born on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago, has taken legal action against the agreement. Goose said in his order: 'The defendant shall take no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer.' A hearing is expected to take place on Thursday morning at 10:30am. Under the agreement, Britain will cede control over the islands to Mauritius but lease Diego Garcia for 99 years to continue operating a joint US-UK military base there. Ministers have refused to disclose the cost of the lease but it is has been reported to be about £90m a year. A government spokesperson said: 'We do not comment on ongoing legal cases. This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security.' More details soon …
Sky News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Judge temporarily bans UK from completing deal to hand over Chagos Islands
A High Court injunction has temporarily banned the UK government from concluding negotiations on the Chagos Islands deal. Ministers were expected to complete a deal today that would have seen the UK hand over sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius. But in an injunction granted in the early hours of Thursday, brought against the Foreign Office, Mr Justice Goose granted "interim relief" to Bertrice Pompe, who had previously taken steps to bring legal action over the deal. Ms Pompe is a Chagossian woman who sees the deal as a betrayal of their rights. Mr Justice Goose said in his order: "The defendant shall take no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer." The government has insisted that the Chagos Islands deal is the "right thing" for the UK. A spokesperson said: "We do not comment on ongoing legal cases. This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security." It is understood that Sir Keir Starmer was due to attend a virtual ceremony this morning. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
