Starmer, who junked Sunak’s Rwanda plan, agrees to sign similar deal for Chagos Islands: Report

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reached an agreement to deport migrants arriving in the Chagos Islands, a deal which is similar to Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan which Starmer cancelled on the very first day in office, calling it “completely wrong” and “immoral.”

According to The Telegraph report, Asylum seekers who reach the British-owned archipelago will be sent to St Helena, another UK territory located over 5,000 miles away in the Atlantic Ocean.

Earlier this month, Starmer faced backlash after agreeing to relinquish control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with MPs criticising the move as “pathetic” and harmful to British interests, claiming the government bowed to legal pressure from the UN.

According to the report, in a development that could lead to further controversy, it has come to light that St Helena has received £6 million in funding to accommodate any migrants arriving from the Chagos Islands until the Mauritius agreement is finalised.

Islanders on St Helena, a small community of fewer than 4,500 people with just one hospital, said they were not consulted about the migrant deportation agreement.

The Chagos Islands, located in the Indian Ocean and home to the US-operated Diego Garcia air base, have faced a surge in migrant boats. Since 2021, hundreds of Sri Lankan migrants have sought asylum there, citing political persecution.

According to the report, citing Foreign Office sources, these migrants pose a risk to the air base, which supports US bombing operations in the Middle East and will remain under UK-US control even after Mauritius takes over the islands.

Many migrants have been held in temporary camps and are currently contesting their detention in court, added the report.

Under the new agreement, any additional migrants arriving before the transfer to Mauritius will be deported to St Helena, located across the Atlantic.

St Helena, known for being one of the world’s most remote locations and famously the site of Napoleon’s exile, has received £6.65 million in funding from the UK Treasury, aimed at addressing its healthcare backlog.

Migrants deported to St Helena will undergo security screenings, and arrivals could continue for up to 18 months, until the Mauritius deal is finalised.

This arrangement is likely to stir controversy in Westminster, especially after Starmer scrapped a similar deal with Rwanda on his first day in office.

The previous plan involved a £370 million payment to Rwanda for resettling migrants, which Labour criticised as “immoral.”

Starmer now faces scrutiny over how the new deal with St Helena differs from the Conservative plan, reported The Telegraph.

The Prime Minister has also faced accusations of neglecting the 14 British overseas territories, including the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar.

Residents of St Helena are “reeling” from the migrant decision, claiming they were not consulted before a brief announcement made by Chief Minister Julie Thomas on Wednesday.

A Foreign Office spokesman told The Telegraph that the deal had been struck after the current government inherited a “deeply troubling situation” of migrants stuck on the Chagos Islands for years, “resulting in mounting legal challenges”.

“Ministers have worked hard to find solutions and contingency plans which protect the integrity of British territorial borders and migrant welfare,” The Telegraph quoted the spokesman as saying.

“This arrangement will only apply if migrants arrive in the future on Diego Garcia," he added.

With inputs from agencies