Labour and Cleverly's Chagos Islands surrender under fire as Tom Tugendhat takes aim at Tory rival
James Cleverly's commitment to British sovereignty is in the firing line
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Tom Tugendhat has taken a veiled swipe at fellow Tory leadership hopeful James Cleverly over his role in the surrender of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The archipelago - a British Overseas Territory (BOT) - will be handed over to China ally Mauritius alongside a "financial support" package in order to "address wrongs of the past", the Foreign Office said.
Britain will cede sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia - which plays host to a joint UK-US military base - but it will retain the facility on a 99-year lease.
The surrender has sparked fears over fellow BOTs, the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar - though on the latter, GB News understands that officials are steering clear of the issue, and are confident in the UK Government's ability to deliver on the will of the Rock regardless of how Spain might view the Chagos debacle.
While in the Falklands, Governor Alison Blake issued a similar statement of confidence on Thursday afternoon, lauding how Britain's "unwavering commitment to defend UK sovereignty remains undiminished".
Tom Tugendhat and James Cleverly, pictured at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham
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But former Tory MP and deputy chairman Brendan Clarke-Smith wasn't so sure, saying: "Beijing will be delighted. Next it will be Gibraltar or the Falklands.
"This is not a serious Government - or a Government that acts in the interests of the UK and its allies."
Cleverly had lashed out at Labour when the news came to light, saying: "Weak, weak, weak! Labour lied to get into office. Said they'd be whiter than white, said they wouldn't put up taxes, said they'd stand up to the EU, said that they be patriotic. All lies!"
But Tugendhat was quick to lay the blame with the Liz Truss Cabinet - in which Cleverly had served as Foreign Secretary.
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Tugendhat was quick to lay the blame at the Liz Truss cabinet - in which Cleverly had served as Foreign Secretary
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The archipelago - a British Overseas Territory (BOT) - will be handed over to China ally Mauritius
Responding to the news that sovereignty of the Chagos Islands will be handed to Mauritius, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat said: "This deal not only threatens our security but also undermines our allies, opening the possibility of China gaining a military foothold in the Indian Ocean.
"Initiated during Liz Truss' premiership, these negotiations should never have started, as the International Court of Justice had no jurisdiction to challenge the UK's sovereignty and its advisory opinion is non-binding under international law.
"It compromises both our national security and the stability of the region.
"Lord Cameron rightly intervened and stopped these negotiations - but Labour's total failure of leadership and strategic vision has left our Indian Ocean allies vulnerable."
"The Falkland Islands are British. No debate. Full stop. Tom won't trade away sovereignty," a campaign source said
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With just days remaining until the Conservative leadership contest whittles down its four candidates to two, Cleverly's rival camps seized on the chance to question his - and Labour's - commitment on British sovereignty, not least with Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands in mind.
One Tugendhat campaign source told GB News: "Labour's decision to push forward the deal negotiated by James Cleverly to give up the Chagos Islands has raised questions about the government's commitment to the Falkland Islands.
"The Falkland Islands are British. No debate. Full stop. Tom won't trade away sovereignty."
A source close to Cleverly said: "There is no point pretending this is anything other than Labour’s deal.
"It is a sign of Keir Starmer and David Lammy’s awful negotiating.
"In Government, Labour has lost fights with the unions and now lost a strategically important negotiation with the Mauritian Government. They don't know what they're doing."
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