22nd May 2025 08:19
(Alliance News) - The UK government has temporarily been banned from concluding its negotiations on the Chagos Islands deal by an injunction granted in the early hours by a High Court judge.
In the injunction granted at 0225 BST on Thursday, brought against the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Justice Goose granted "interim relief" to Bertrice Pompe, who had previously taken steps to bring legal action over the deal.
"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," Justice Goose said in his order.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had been expected to attend a virtual ceremony alongside representatives from the Mauritian government on Thursday morning to sign off on the deal.
Britain would give up sovereignty of the island territory to Mauritius under the deal, and lease back a crucial military base on the archipelago for 99 years.
By Helen Corbett, PA Political Correspondent
Press Association: News
source: PA
Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.