Judge gives green light for Keir Starmer to sign Chagos Islands deal | ITV News
The government can conclude its negotiations on the Chagos Islands deal, after an eleventh-hour legal challenge from campaigners as dismissed by a High Court judge.
The deal, which would see Britain give up sovereignty of the island territory to Mauritius and lease back a crucial military base there, was due to be signed on Thursday morning but was temporarily blocked by an injunction hours before.
Discharging the injunction at the High Court, Mr Justice Chamberlain said: “The public interest and the interests of the United Kingdom would be substantially prejudiced by the grant or continuance of interim relief, and these matters provide a strong public interest reason against the continuance of interim relief.”
The legal challenge had been brought against the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office by two British women born on the Chagos Islands.
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