Quotes
We do not want to hand over our rights to Mauritius. We are not Mauritians,
she said outside the High Court
President Trump has welcomed the deal along with other allies, because they see the strategic importance of this base and that we cannot cede the ground to others who would seek to do us harm.
Speaking at Northwood Headquarters he said
The government had made clear that once the agreement is signed, it will be the subject of a Bill in Parliament
Dismissing the injunction, he told the courtEven though it has been necessary to consider this case at very quick speed, I am not satisfied that the claimants have established a serious issue to be tried
He addedIf Mauritius took us to court again, which they certainly would have, the UK's longstanding legal view is that we would not have a realistic prospect of success and would likely face provisional measures orders within a matter of weeks.
He said
You're seeing British sovereign territory being given away to an ally of China, and billions of pounds of British taxpayers' money being spent for the privilege,
said senior Tory politician Robert Jenrick
The legal necessity of this deal has been recognised by successive governments."
The MoD insisted
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I received all the same briefings and this interpretation is simply inaccurate and completely spineless from this government."
Former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps hit back, sayingThe cost of this is an average per year cost of £101 million."
He spelt out
As the world becomes more dangerous, our military base on Diego Garcia becomes more important. Today’s Treaty secures full operational control, strengthens our UK-US defence partnership and keeps British people safe at home for the next 99 years and beyond."
In a statement from the Ministry of Defence following the treaty's signing, John Healey said.jpg)
If we did not agree this deal, the legal situation would mean that we would not be able to prevent China or any other nation setting up their own bases on the outer islands, or carrying out joint exercises near our base,
Sir Keir said
We will never gamble with national security,
he added(China) will use territory to expand their influence. They will spy,
Shapps told CNN
My instructions from Number 10 are that we need a decision by 1 p.m. today if we are to sign today, and everybody is standing by,
At a full hearing later on Thursday morning, a Foreign Office lawyer told the court ... according to the PA Media news agency, which was present in the courtroomI’d love to go back... I’d love to go there for longer than one week ... the UK is not my country but I have to be here just to try get back to where I belong.”
Last year Pompe, who lives in London, told the BBCDiego Garcia is an essential and utterly important base from which the United States and the United Kingdom, very often jointly, operate, and therefore the preservation of that facility is of the utmost importance to UK national security,
he saidI have concluded the stay should be lifted
The judge ruled at 12.43pmIn considering the balance of convenience it is necessary to bear in mind the public law context and the public interests that might be served or injured by the grant or refusal of interim relief.”
He said
We are seeking essentially to maintain the status quo at this stage,
he told the court
These matters provide a strong public interest reason against the continuance of interim relief."
He said