A British High Court judge has issued a late-night injunction blocking the UK government from finalising its contentious agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, just hours before the deal was expected to be made public.
The injunction, granted at 2:25 a.m. on Thursday by Mr Justice Goose, came in response to a legal challenge brought by Bertrice Pompe, a woman born on Diego Garcia—the largest island in the archipelago. Pompe argues that the agreement disregards the rights of Chagossians, many of whom were forcibly displaced in the 1960s and 70s to make way for a joint US-UK military base.
In his ruling, Justice Goose ordered the government to halt any “conclusive or legally binding step” toward transferring the British Indian Ocean Territory to a foreign power, pending a full hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
The UK was expected to announce the handover deal later that day, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly planning to participate in a virtual signing ceremony with Mauritian officials. According to reports, Downing Street had recently dropped its reservations about the announcement’s timing amid internal political pressures.
Under the terms of the proposed agreement, the UK would transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while securing a 99-year lease for continued operation of the Diego Garcia military base. Though official financial details remain undisclosed, the lease is estimated to cost British taxpayers approximately £90 million per year.
A government spokesperson declined to comment on the case directly, stating only, “This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security.”
The deal has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Some within the Labour Party have raised concerns about the agreement’s financial burden at a time when the government is facing backlash over cuts to winter fuel payments and disability benefits—measures many blame for Labour’s recent poor performance in local elections.
The controversy was compounded earlier this week when Prime Minister Starmer reversed course on a planned policy regarding fuel payments, a move widely seen as an attempt to mitigate public outrage and internal party unrest.
Complicating the diplomatic picture further were earlier fears that US President Donald Trump might block the handover due to Washington’s concerns over Mauritius’ close ties to China. However, sources indicate Trump signed off on the arrangement after a February meeting with Starmer at the White House. The US will retain a significant military presence on Diego Garcia under the terms of the new lease.
With Thursday’s court hearing now looming, the future of the Chagos agreement—and Britain’s broader strategic posture in the Indian Ocean—hangs in the balance.