Nigel Farage, Conservative leadership hopefuls criticise Labour over Chagos handover

The government has been forced to defend itself over the decision to handover the Chagos Islands to Mauritius amid fierce criticism from opposition MPs, including Nigel Farage and two Conservative leadership hopefuls.

Making a statement to the House of Commons on Monday, foreign secretary David Lammy repeatedly insisted that the last government was the one to start the handover process.

Despite this, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat accused Lammy of “undermining the rights of the Chagossian people.”

Tugendhat told the House: “Truly nobody, apart from a boy called Jack, has ever made a worse deal on the way to market. He’s come back with a handful of beans that he’s trying to sell as a prize.”

Lammy hit back: “He was part of the last government. Did he raised this when he was part of the last government?”

Robert Jenrick, another Conservative leadership hopeful, said the foreign secretary had conducted the handover so he can “feel good about himself at his next North London dinner party.”

Lammy responded: “Well, I hope that question may have garnered him a few more votes, but if that’s his position, he’s unlikely to lead the Conservative Party to victory.”

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