Burnham admits no deal is yet in place
Andy Burnham has acknowledged that there is still no agreed resolution over the future of the Chagos Islands, but has promised Mauritius that the UK will continue working towards a settlement that protects the strategic military base on Diego Garcia.
The Prime Minister’s intervention comes after the UK Government’s plan to transfer sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius was put on hold in April following opposition from the Trump administration in Washington.
Speaking to reporters as he travelled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Mr Burnham said the continued operation of the joint UK-US base remained central to British security and that of its allies.
“So, I said that we remain determined to secure the long-term operation of the base, which is crucial to our security and that of our allies,” he said.
He added: “The assurance I gave was I will work towards a resolution, at the moment we don’t have that, but I gave an assurance that I would commit to working towards one.”
Call with Mauritius ahead of Trump meeting
Mr Burnham made the comments after holding his first telephone conversation with Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam on Monday, ahead of a bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
The timing underlined the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue. The proposed Chagos agreement, which would see the UK relinquish sovereignty while retaining control of the military facility on Diego Garcia, has become entangled with Washington’s concerns about the future security of one of its most important regional bases.
Mr Trump has previously described the proposed deal as “an act of great stupidity”, a remark that has complicated efforts by London and Port Louis to finalise an arrangement that had been intended to resolve a long-running sovereignty dispute.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Mr Burnham had told Mr Ramgoolam that he wanted the UK and Mauritius to work closely together. The two leaders also discussed shared priorities including climate change, illicit finance, economic growth and trade.
“The Prime Minister began by setting out his intention for the UK and Mauritius to work closely together,” the spokesperson said.
“He noted the clear benefits the two countries could bring to each other across a range of shared objectives, including tackling climate change, combatting illicit finance, and boosting growth and trade, as they looked to create opportunities for people at home.”
Diego Garcia remains the central obstacle
The future of Diego Garcia is the decisive issue. The island hosts a major military base operated by the UK and the US, and both governments regard it as a vital asset for operations across the Indian Ocean and the wider Middle East region.
Under the proposed settlement, sovereignty over the Chagos Islands would pass to Mauritius, while Britain would retain authority over the base. That formula was designed to address Mauritian claims to the territory while preserving the military arrangements that London and Washington consider strategically indispensable.
But the Trump administration’s pushback has left the agreement in limbo. Since April, ministers have been unable to move the plan forward, and Mr Burnham’s task is now to find a formula acceptable to Mauritius, the UK and the US.
That is a difficult balancing act. Mauritius wants a clear path to sovereignty, while the UK is determined not to weaken the security framework around Diego Garcia. Washington, for its part, has signalled that it will not accept any arrangement it believes could compromise the base’s long-term military value.
Foreign ministers expected to meet at UN
Downing Street said Mr Burnham and Mr Ramgoolam had agreed to remain in close contact as officials seek a way through the impasse.
The Prime Minister also expressed hope that the UK Foreign Secretary and Mauritian Foreign Minister Ramful would be able to meet during the UN General Assembly this week, providing an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and press ahead with discussions on the base.
“Turning to the future of the military base on Diego Garcia, the Prime Minister underlined his commitment to working with Mauritius and the United States on a way forward that secures the operation of the base and protects UK national security,” the Downing Street spokesperson said.
The meeting in New York will therefore test whether diplomacy can restore momentum to a deal that has already been delayed by one of the most sensitive strategic disputes in the UK’s overseas relationships.
For Mr Burnham, the immediate challenge is to reassure all sides without appearing to reopen questions that London and Port Louis had hoped were close to settlement. For Washington, the issue is simpler: the base must remain secure, operational and politically defensible.
Why it Matters
The Chagos dispute is no longer just a question of sovereignty or post-colonial redress; it has become a test of whether Britain can reconcile its diplomatic commitments with the hard realities of military strategy. A deal that satisfies Mauritius while preserving Diego Garcia would remove a persistent irritant from UK foreign policy and strengthen cooperation with both an Indian Ocean partner and the United States. Failure to find that balance could leave the base vulnerable to renewed political dispute, strain relations with Mauritius and expose divisions between London and Washington at a time when security cooperation remains a central priority.
