Keir Starmer likes to talk tough about his relationship with the USA, but as is always the case when it comes to his politics, the rhetoric does not match his actions. As the Financial Times reports this morning;
The UK government has been forced to drop legislation that would ratify its deal to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after the US withheld its backing for the plan.
UK officials acknowledged on Friday that the legislation had run out of time to proceed to the statute book within the current parliamentary session, which will end later this month.
I see no reason for the UK to have the right to the Chagos Islands. This is a legacy of its colonial past and something wholly inappropriate as a result.
Donald Trump is, of course, dedicated to creating a new colonial present. That is what his actions over Gaza, Iran, and potentially elsewhere (think Cuba) indicate.
Keir Starmer has, as ever in the modern Labour tradition, tried to triangulate this situation and has failed dismally. Now we can clearly see who has the upper hand: it is Donald Trump. Starmer convincingly proves, yet again, that he is both Trump's poodle and an agent for the advance of fascism as a result.
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There’s an opportunity now to develop a plan that provides a better solution for the islanders, with full consultation, greater financial support and strong resettlement arrangements to enable people to return to the outer islands if they wish to do so. But will Starmer take this opportunity or simply bend to Trump’s will?
This is not politics; this is playing with politics and yet again politics is made worse and weaker because of it.
How convenient for our most supine prime minister.
Supine: good word
Starmer also seems not to realise what involvement means. He states the UK is not involved in the war with Iran despite the fact that the UK supplies arms to Israel, allows the US to use UK bases and I gather uses UK forces to monitor events. Not being involved would mean no arms supply to a belligerent, no use of bases and not allowing UK air space to be used. Does he not realise that the UK is involved or is he simply caving in to Trump. He has no morals or scruples. At the next election he hopefully will be booted out.
Agreed
The people who should primarily decide the status of the Chaos Island are the Chagossians. But the UK and Us deported them between 1965 and 1973, another appalling stain on UK history. 🙁
Many of the original Chagossians will now be dead. Mauritius is 1250 miles from the Chagos Islands and seems to have little historical claim. Which leaves a huge mess in determining who should control the Islands.
The UK should listen to the remaining Chagossians and their descendants. Starmer, Trump, and Mauritius all seem to have been ignoring them.
Thank you.
My parents are Mauritian immigrants. They arrived in 1964.
I’m puzzled by your statement that Mauritius has little historical claim.
Mauritius, then called Ilha do Cirne, and Chagos have formed part of the same polity since Portuguese colonisation in the 1500s.
The UK had yet to be invented. The Brits invaded in December 1810, after the initial attempt was defeated in August 1810.
I don’t dispute that the Chagossiens, francophone and Catholic Creoles like me, have been shamefully treated by Mauritius and should have the sole right to determine their future. I support their choice.
Mauritius has a better claim to the archipelago than Britain. Imperial history and international law, including the provisions on excision, ought to be taught in the west, not just Blighty.
It’s the issue of Mauritius, 1250 miles away, the UK (even further), or anyone else, having a “claim” on the Chagos Islands that bothers me. Have any of the claimants asked the Chagossians what they want?
I’m sorry, Colonel, but I don’t understand why an earlier invader should have more rights than a later invader. Neither should have any rights whatsoever. Legally, currently the UK has rights but Mauritius has none. Surely, when the UK relinquishes those rights they should go to the local (or descendants of the most recent) population?
Almost every country in the world is occupied by invaders.
Looking at some of the press coverage, we seem to seeing Imperial nostalgia with talk of “giving away the islands” as though they were British territory. The ICJ have awarded them to Mauritius. Do we want international law or only when it suits us?
As our military commitment seems to be small, perhaps the answer is to leave and let the Americans negotiate a ‘deal’ if it is that important to them? And it is key strategic base for them.
“The ICJ have awarded them to Mauritius”.
Of course one should generally comply with international law. But it is more important to do what is right. It is no excuse to say, “the ICJ told me to” (that was established at Nuremberg). The Chagossians wishes should be primary.
Of course doing what is right is important though I do have reservations following the ruling of the ICJ and equating that with following the orders of the Third Reich.
There is also an issue in elevating the wishes – of a small group, no more than 2000 were displaced -over national policy. If the gov decided Gibraltar should be handed back to Spain, should the 12,000 have a veto?
We have no right to Gibraltar. It is time to return it.
I agree re Gibraltar. But if we do, the monkeys will need compensation !!!
The media , including BBC have colluded with Starmer’s ‘its not our war’ trope, despite 2000lb bombs from Fairford slaughtering civilians in Tehran, and a fighter from Lakenheath shot down somewhere over Iran, and admission that are deploying our military assets from bases in the gulf and supplying arms to the terror-state destroying Beirut.<p>
No curiosity, no questioning, how would international law see all of this, just parroting ‘Israel targeting Hezbollah’ as kids bodies pulled out from under the rubble.
Agreed
Starmer… he is good at taking orders to be ineffective.
I thought this from media lens yesterday was very good…
https://www.medialens.org/2026/nuclear-genocide-the-threat-and-the-ceasefire/
“Starmer, Trump’s Poodle” – I have some good news for both owner & poodle, within our Ukranian family is: the world champion dog groomer & I am reliably informed that she (it is Lena’s sister) will offer preferential rates to Mr Trump – in exchange for lots more patriot missiles – she can’t guarantee that his poodle would win – but it would put him in with a chance of winning “best groomed poodle” in the poodle category. Lots of possible options, pink ribbons etc – PM and world poodle champion – something to be proud of.
& maybe the nice Mr Scarfe could do another cartoon – who can forget his “1st Bitch”. 🙂
It has taken a long time for many on the centre/centre-left to realise that Keir Starmer is an illiberal, authoritarian, deceitful, pledge-breaking, U-turning, dishonest, incompetent, bought-and-paid-for puppet of those who pay for his specs, his suits and his soccer tickets and worst of all, his party.
There are no excuses. Like with Johnson in 2019 GE, the country knew in 2024 exactly who it was voting for.
A boken pledge on the Chagos islands? Legislation tabled then abandoned? Commitments made and then reneged on? Stands made then the back-down? Taking dictation from other countries?
What’s new?
Politics didn’t used to be like this.
It doesn’t need to like this now.
(Sorry, I’m in a bah! humbug! mood today)
You are, but quite justifiably.
Unfortunately Trump seems to have a full kennel full of poodles, Mark Carney, your former Bank of England head and now Canadian prime minister despite his much praised speech at Davos has proved to be equally spineless ( is that a poodle disease?) We all seem so terrified that Trump will raise tariffs, close the border, yell bad words at us, cut off the dog food that we wilt in front of him. Unfortunately he is so used to his own band of fawning sycophants that the rest of the world seems incapable of being different. Business takes precedent over humanity. I wish I believed in divine justice.