Tories Demand Starmer Retracts His Claim That China Opposed Chagos Deal – Guido Fawkes

Exclusive: Tories Demand Starmer Retracts His Claim That China Opposed Chagos Deal

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The Tories are demanding Starmer issues a retraction and formally apologises after he falsely claimed China was opposed to the Chagos surrender deal. As Guido revealed this morning, China in fact sent “massive congratulations” to Mauritius following the sellout…

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge has written to Starmer calling out the “deeply offensive and ill-judged claim”. Referencing Guido’s story on the Mauritian reports that Chinese officials praised the deal, Cartlidge goes on to say:

“Your suggestion that HM Opposition is somehow siding with China has now been proven to be factually inaccurate as they support your deal – but when we have supported you so strongly on Ukraine, and backed your military action against Iranian-backed Houthis, to be accused effectively of siding with China, Russia and Iran is totally unacceptable. I look forward to your apology.”

Starmer must apologise now for the deeply dishonest claim…

Read the letter in full below:

Dear Prime Minister,
RE: YOUR COMMENTS ON CHAGOS AND CHINA
I am writing to request a formal apology following your recent statement that somehow those of us opposed to your Chagos deal are on the side of Russia, China and Iran – a deeply offensive and ill- judged claim that was repeated and defended in the Commons, and in the media, by the Defence Secretary and Minister for the Armed Forces.
In your press conference announcing confirmation of the UK/Mauritius Chagos Treaty on 22nd May 2025 you said:
“In favour are all of our allies: the US, NATO, Five Eyes, India. Against it: Russia, China, Iran and, surprisingly, the leader of the opposition and Nigel Farage are in that column alongside Russia, China and Iran, rather than the column that has the UK and its allies in it.”
On the contrary, and as you will no doubt be aware, today it was widely reported that China – through its diplomats in Port Louis – has offered “massive congratulations” to Mauritius on the deal, stating that China “fully supports” Mauritius in its “quest to safeguard national sovereignty”.
On Russia, it was a Conservative Government that stood by Ukraine even before Putin’s full scale illegal invasion in February 2022, and let me be clear that in Opposition, we will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our European allies against Russian aggression.
Your suggestion that HM Opposition is somehow siding with China has now been proven to be factually inaccurate as they support your deal – but when we have supported you so strongly on Ukraine, and backed your military action against Iranian-backed Houthis, to be accused effectively of siding with China, Russia and Iran is totally unacceptable.
I look forward to your apology.
Yours sincerely,
James Cartlidge MP