Sir Keir Starmer's deal with the Mauritian government for the Chagos Islands may be about to hit the buffers after the country's Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the UK may need to pay more to lease the territory.

In politics, there is usually something to be said for any course of action, even if it is not necessarily the one that one would adopt. The British government’s deal to surrender the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is that rare thing – a decision that cannot be defended on any ground whatsoever.

Mauritius Stalls Chagos Islands Deal: Diego Garcia Lease Issue

Starmer’s Government had reached a deal with the former leader of Mauritius but the newly elected PM, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, has said he does not accept elements of the agreement

Downing Street insists that the controversial agreement to give up sovereignty of the Indian Ocean archipelago is still on track, as it scrambles to get it signed before Donald Trump takes office.