The Chagos Islands deal will not be signed off after an injunction was granted in the early hours of today by a High Court judge.
In the injunction granted at 2.25am, brought against the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Justice Goose granted "interim relief" to Bertrice Pompe, who had previously taken steps to bring legal action over the deal.
According to the order, the judge granted the injunction "upon consideration of the claimant’s application for interim relief made out of court hours" and "upon reading the defendants’ response."
A hearing is now expected to take place on Thursday morning at 10.30am. The overnight legal action comes after GB News revealed that the deal was due to be signed virtually today.
A hearing will take place later todayGettyJustice Goose said in his order: "The defendant shall take no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer.
"The defendant shall in particular not dispose of the territory in whole or in part. The defendant is to maintain the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom over the British Indian Ocean Territory until further order."
Reacting to the announcement, Pompe said: "After a marathon five-hour emergency session in the middle of the night, the High Court of Justice has, unprecedented in English legal history, paused the execution of a treaty. We won.
"There will be a fresh hearing at 10.30am at the High Court. Our star could fall, or keep on rising. We are told to summon the world’s press."
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The Chagos Islands deal was approved by Donald TrumpGettyThe Government said the Chagos Islands deal is the "right thing" for the UK after a court injunction temporarily blocked the agreement from being concluded.
A Government spokesman said: "We do not comment on ongoing legal cases.This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security."
Reacting to this morning's news, shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "Let’s hope this is ultimately successful because this is an absolutely disgraceful sellout.
"Keir Starmer is looking to give away sovereign British territory to an ally of China and pay billions of pounds for the privilege."
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had been expected to attend a virtual ceremony alongside representatives from the Mauritian government on Thursday morning to sign off on the deal.
Britain would give up sovereignty of the island territory to Mauritius under the deal, and lease back a crucial military base on the archipelago for 99 years.
