Keir Starmer could face his first foreign policy clash with Donald Trump over the UK’s controversial surrender of the Chagos Islands.

The Prime Minister will come under fresh pressure to cancel the proposed handover of the British overseas territory to Mauritius – an ally of China – if the incoming President concludes it is a risk to the crucial Anglo-American military base there.

A Cabinet minister insisted yesterday that the Mauritius deal is done and dusted, while the Government believes the Pentagon supports it.

But Nigel Farage is putting pressure on his political ally Mr Trump to intervene to force the UK to think again.

The Reform UK leader told the Mail: “I have spoken to people very closely associated with him about the Chagos situation and about concerns that the Mauritian government is moving further to the left.”

He said the danger is that the deal reached by Labor in October, which hands control of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius but allows the United States and the United Kingdom to continue operating the military base on its largest atoll, Diego Garcia, for at least 99 years, may collapse. as Chinese influence grows in Mauritius.

Nigel Farage (pictured) is putting pressure on his political ally Mr Trump to intervene and force the UK to think again.

Former US President Donald Trump speaks during an event at the Mar-a-Lago Club on April 4, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

A view of the Chagos Islands

“The leasing deals sound wonderful, but look at what happened to Hong Kong,” Mr Farage said.

—And what will prevent the Chinese from being allowed to use one of the other islands under this agreement? Given Diego García’s importance in the Gulf War, he is a very important military asset.

‘Obviously we have to see who he appoints Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. But I think it’s very unlikely that this won’t become a problem. I don’t see what we will gain from the transfer; rethinking it must be a possibility. It is very possible that this situation will change.

He added that Trump’s people “are aware” of legal advice drawn up by pro-Brexit lawyer Martin Howe KC which maintains that the UK had no obligation to cede sovereignty of the islands, despite a 2019 ruling by the International Court of Justice that the United Kingdom’s occupation was illegal.

A former Foreign Office source told the Mail: “I would be very surprised if Trump didn’t at least try to end the deal.”

The agreement includes a 99-year lease of the US Diego García air base. But the Mauritius government is friendly to China and fears have been raised that Beijing’s agents could approach the facilities.

The new president’s allies criticized last month’s decision to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, which is 1,300 miles from the archipelago.

The insider said it would be an “extraordinary U-turn” if Labor abandoned the deal, adding: “Ultimately, if Trump really wants this to happen, they have ways of turning the screws on the government.” Look what they did with Huawei.”

Although Trump has not commented publicly on the Chagos deal, other senior Republicans have, including a top contender to become his Secretary of State.

Senator Marco Rubio last month described the delivery as “worrying.” When Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden was asked by Sky News if the deal was “100 per cent done and dusted”, he replied: “Yes, I think it is”, adding: “It is important in that deal that have secured the use of the base there for a long time.

A government spokesman said: ‘This agreement protects the long-term secure operation of the British-US base which plays a vital role in regional and international security.

“The UK and the US have a special relationship built over many decades and we look forward to continuing it with the incoming US administration, cooperating on our shared priorities, including growth, security and defence. “.