Starmer Plans £9bn Chagos Deal Amid Defence Budget Concerns

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has faced scrutiny over whether the recently announced increase in defence spending will cover costs associated with the Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius. While Starmer committed to raising defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, concerns have been raised that this funding may be diverted to lease back the Diego Garcia military base from Mauritius, a deal estimated to be worth £9 billion. During Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer did not clarify if the defence budget would be used for the Chagos deal, leading to accusations of a potential cover-up from opposition members. The government has yet to provide specific cost details for the Chagos agreement but suggested that funding would focus on enhancing the UK's military capabilities. Defence Secretary John Healey also refrained from confirming whether the defence budget includes the Chagos deal funding, further fueling uncertainty. Critics argue that the lack of transparency could undermine trust in the government's defence financial planning.