Yesterday, following a last-minute flurry of lawfare, the government published the text of its Chagos agreement with Mauritius. Future history books may well cite it as the perfect example of Britain ceasing to be a country that can be taken seriously.
This lousy deal essentially amounts to a massive gift from British taxpayers to the Mauritian government, in exchange for being allowed to give up territory
The agreement transfers to Mauritius the entire Chagos archipelago, including the Diego Garcia airbase, subject to a 99-year leaseback of the latter. The small print is worth noting. Mauritians and Mauritian companies are to have preference in employment on the base; it is to be operated in accordance with Mauritian environmental law; and the UK is to inform Mauritius of any warlike activity conducted from it. And a very large annual sum is to be paid to Mauritius for this privilege. This probably amounts in total to some £30 billion (the figure of £3.4
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