UK politics live: Furious Chagos Islands row erupts as Tories accused of risking losing key air base in courts

Rishi Sunak had to remind Boris Johnson over the impact of his language when the former prime minister was ranting about “sacred cows”, our political editor David Maddox reports.

The episode is candidly revealed in Mr Johnson’s new book ‘Unleashed’ where he describes a meeting with his cabinet.

He wrote: “‘Come on!’ I exhorted the assembled secretaries of state, at least twice. ‘It’s time to slaughter the sacred cows.’”

Mr Johnson said that after the second occasion Mr Sunak came up to have a word. But Johnson did not quite pick up on Sunak’s “diffident” challenge.

The former prime minister noted: “I said enthusiastically ‘I want a complete abattoir, a charnel-house, a total bovicide! It’s the only way to do it.’”

But Sunak pointed out: “Just remember that not everyone would choose to use that language.”

Johnson claimed that he “gawped” and then “twigged…he was speaking to me as a convinced and practising Hindu.”

In a news release about the agreement, the government claimed handing over Chagos Island to Mauritius will close a potential illegal migration route.

The deal announcement comes after a period of negotiations that began in 2022 under the Tories.

The international court of justice (ICJ), the UN general assembly and the international tribunal of the law of the sea recognised Mauritian arguments for sovereignty in 2019 and 2021.

But the deal had not been reached until now.

Foreign secretary David Lammy said: “For the first time in more than 50 years, the status of the base will be undisputed and legally secure, following a political agreement between the UK and Mauritius.

“Without today’s agreement, the long-term, secure operation of the military base would be under threat, with contested sovereignty and legal challenges – including through various international courts and tribunals …

“Diego Garcia has also seen a small number of vulnerable migrants arrive since 2021, subsequently launching asylum claims. The agreement will shut down any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to the UK, with Mauritius taking responsibility for any future arrivals.”

The defence secretary has defended the Labour government decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Mr Healey said: “This historic agreement highlights the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific. The UK-US base on Diego Garcia has a vital role in protecting our interests.

“By providing long-term sovereignty over Diego Garcia, this treaty secures continued operation of this major military base.”

There are only three mentions of Liz Truss in Boris Johnson’s book Unleashed even though she was one of his most senior ministers and took over from him as Tory leader and prime minister, David Maddox reports.

Ms Truss accounts for two brief mentions in her role as foreign secretary related to Afghanistan and Ukraine and a brief mention as his successor.

Mr Johnson though prefers to focus his ire on Rishi Sunak’s “Brutus” like behaviour in betraying him. He also blames Sunak for losing the Tories the election.

The former prime minister complained about Sunak “junking the agenda on which we were elected” in 2019, and “never mentioning the good things we had done” under his premiership including Brexit.

He notes: “Instead we had a few zany ideas like making maths compulsory for 18-year-olds.”

Joe Biden has welcomed Britain’s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a move to secure the future of a secretive military base in the Pacific Ocean.

The US President branded the deal “historic” and praised the UK government for securing “effective operation” of the US-UK joint Diego Garcia base.

In a statement, he said: “I applaud the historic agreement and conclusion of the negotiations between the Republic of Mauritius and the United Kingdom on the status of the Chagos Archipelago.

“It is a clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes.”

He added: “Diego Garcia is the site of a joint US-UK military facility that plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security.

“It enables the United States to support operations that demonstrate our shared commitment to regional stability, provide rapid response to crises, and counter some of the most challenging security threats we face.

“The agreement secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century.”

A record number of families are having to live in temporary accommodation, new figures show, as councils warn their spending on emergency housing will rise by a third this year.

Some 117,450 households were living in temporary accommodation, such as B&Bs and hotels, in March 2024, which is the highest number since records began in 1998. This was up 12.3 per cent on the same period last year.

Of these, 74,530 were families with children - up 14.7 per cent year-on-year - and the number of children who have been living in temporary accommodation for five years or more has risen by more than 3,000.

Our social affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft has the full story below:

The Conservatives have shared their anger after Sir Keir Starmer handed the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick was scathing about the British Indian Ocean Territory deal.

He said: “It’s taken three months for (Sir Keir) Starmer to surrender Britain’s strategic interests.

“This is a dangerous capitulation that will hand our territory to an ally of Beijing.”

Britain has agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius to secure the future of a secretive military base in the Pacific Ocean.

The government on Thursday said it would recognise the sovereignty of Mauritius over the archipelago under a new agreement, which also secures the rights of Britain to operate a military base at Diego Garcia for at least the next 99 years.

The Foreign Office said the status of the base will be undisputed and legally secure following a political agreement between the two countries.

You can read the full story below:

A minister has claimed accepting freebies in opposition is “different” to doing so in government as she attempted to explain why Sir Keir Starmer has paid back the value of some Taylor Swift tickets, but not thousands of pounds worth of other gifts.

Industry minister Sarah Jones suggested Sir Keir and other Labour frontbenchers were taking free tickets to concerts and festivals while in opposition to “build relationships” with businesses.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story below: