Starmer's Chagos Sovereignty Plan Faces Major Backlash

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer faces backlash over his connection to lawyer Phillip Sands KC, who has ties to Mauritius amid controversy over the Chagos Islands sovereignty deal. Critics argue that the deal, which involves the UK transferring sovereignty while leasing back the Diego Garcia military base for £9 billion, jeopardizes national security. Science Minister Sir Chris Bryant has challenged the government's national security rationale, asserting that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) cannot shut down UK communications, contradicting prior claims from Downing Street about the necessity of the deal. Meanwhile, the new Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navin Ramgoolam, has condemned the arrangement as a