Politics · United Kingdom · 10 hrs ago
Burnham seeks to revise Chagos Islands deal after US opposition
Andy Burnham says the UK wants to reshape its deal over the Chagos Islands after the United States opposed the current agreement.
The islands are home to Diego Garcia, a military base jointly used by the UK and US.
Under the deal signed by Keir Starmer’s government, Mauritius would gain sovereignty while the UK and US kept control of the base through a 99-year lease.
The agreement cannot go ahead without US support, and the British government has suspended payments to Mauritius while it seeks a compromise.
Burnham suggested the UK could look to the US-Denmark agreement on Greenland, which keeps Greenland under Danish sovereignty while allowing a significant US military presence.
The UK is working to find a compromise acceptable to the US and Mauritius, but Burnham said the effort is challenging.
The next step is further discussion between the UK and US; the sources give no timeline for a revised deal.
Andy Burnham says the UK wants a new discussion with the US about revising its deal over the Chagos Islands.
The original agreement would transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while keeping the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.
The deal has been in limbo since Donald Trump opposed it, and the UK has suspended payments to Mauritius while seeking a compromise.
Burnham suggested the agreement could draw on the US arrangement with Denmark over Greenland.
- Who
- Andy Burnham said the UK wants to revisit the deal. The US has opposed the current agreement.
- What
- The UK is seeking to recast its deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining the Diego Garcia base.
- When
- Burnham made the comments on his return from the Commonwealth heads of government summit. The article was published on 5 November 2026.
- Where
- The Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean.
- Why
- The US opposes the current deal, and Burnham says it cannot proceed without American support.
US government
UK and Mauritius
US support
US government
The US opposes the current agreement.
UK and Mauritius
The UK wants to revise the arrangement, while Mauritius agreed to the sovereignty transfer.
Terms of the deal
US government
Trump called the deal terrible, and Washington raised concerns about it.
UK and Mauritius
The agreement would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while keeping the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.
The UK signed a treaty to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius while retaining control of the Diego Garcia base under a 99-year lease.
Trump said he did not support the deal after a bilateral meeting with Burnham in New York.
The UK suspended payments to Mauritius while it worked with the US on a compromise.
Burnham said the UK wanted a new discussion with the US about recasting the arrangement.
- Base
- Diego Garcia, a joint UK-US military base
- Lease
- 99 years under the original agreement
- Payments
- £165m for three years, then £120m a year from the fourth year
- Proposed model
- The US arrangement with Denmark over Greenland
- US president
- Donald Trump
- Published
- 5 November 2026
What people are saying
We are in discussion with our US friends to see how we might recast the arrangement that better meets their concerns.
I don’t support it – I think it’s a terrible deal.
This deal as it is currently constituted can’t go ahead without American support.