Sir Keir Starmer could face an investigation by Britain's statistics watchdog over "lying to the public" about the true cost of "surrendering" the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Starmer has been reported to the UK Statistics Authority by furious Tories - who have urged its chairman Sir Robert Chote to properly examine the Prime Minister's data.
He had claimed the deal would cost £101million every year for 99 years, meaning the "net present value of payments" under the treaty will stand at £3.4billion.
"All costs have been verified by the Government Actuary's Department," a Ministry of Defence statement on the deal vowed yesterday.
Sir Keir Starmer could face an investigation by Britain's statistics watchdog over 'lying to the public'
GETTY
GB News was told the £3.4billion figure is calculated by applying the Office for Budgetary Responsibility forecast GDP Deflator to the payments.
But with rising inflation and additional schemes to fund "development projects" in Mauritius in mind, the true cost of the deal will reportedly surpass £30billion.
As a result, the Tories have accused Starmer of a "misuse of statistics" and a "statistical sleight of hand to hide the true cost to taxpayers of this surrender deal".
"Independent analysis suggests that, once a conservative rate of inflation is accounted for, the true cost of the deal is likely to be in excess of £30billion," Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge blasted.
"That's a difference of £27 billion - a substantial amount that could mislead the public about the real financial cost."
LATEST ON LABOUR'S CHAGOS ISLANDS HANDOVER:
James Cartlidge has written to the UK Statistics Authority over the 'surrender'
PACartlidge also told the PM to publish the source data behind his Government's claims.
His failure to do so "appears to be in breach" of the code of practice on statistics, he added.
"As the UK Statistics Authority, your role is to promote transparency and accuracy in the use of public data," he urged Chote.
"I therefore ask you to investigate whether the Prime Minister's figure follows the code of practice on statistics to make sure that public confidence in public statistics is upheld."
'Labour are lying to British taxpayers,' Priti Patel spat
PAShadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel added: "Labour are lying to British taxpayers with their made-up numbers and dodgy accounting, and the true reality of these costs is frightening for all to see.
"We are now bound by treaty to both pay for the indignity of the surrender, and to line Mauritius's own coffers - and the true cost of this 'surrender tax' to the British public now seems set to top an eyewatering £30billion."
The Foreign Office pointed to remarks made by Defence Secretary John Healey when asked about the cost of the giveaway.
"Government Actuaries tell us the full accounting cost is £3.4billion," he said. "This is a long-established method used under this Government... and previous governments to account for long term projects."
