Chagos islanders dream of returning home five decades after being expelled by Britain, but with Donald Trump in the White House, they may have to wait longer.

Tories accused Sir Keir Starmer of "traitorous levels of national sabotage" after it emerged the Prime Minister was pressing ahead with handing over the Chagos Islands by effectively doubling the £9 billion offered to new owners Mauritius.

If Britain wants to remain a reliable partner in our security alliance, it must be willing to defend its sovereignty. As much as President Trump uses unpredictability as a diplomatic tool, I can predict one thing for sure: there is no way he will allow Britain to give up its sovereignty over the Chagos Islands.

Britain struck a deal in October to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius - a former colony that became independent in 1968 - while retaining control under a 99-year lease of the military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago.