Ministers are increasingly concerned President Donald Trump could cancel the deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The President had previously derided the act as “stupid” and an “act of total weakness”.
In a phone call between Sir Keir Starmer and President Trump, the Prime Minister chose not to mention the treaty, leading to concerns among ministers that the US leader does not understand the deal, reports The Times.
President Trump’s British envoy Mark Burnett, initially briefed the President on its contents more than a year ago but diplomatic sources said more senior members of the administration had begun to assert themselves.
This includes Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Ambassador in London Warren Stephens, who are among those who have been lobbied by Reform leader Nigel Farage or senior Conservatives.
Senior Conservatives have suggested their plan is to delay the legislation in the Lords for so long that it fails to pass before the end of the parliamentary session in May.
When pressed on if the deal was dead without American backing, a Downing Street spokesman said: “As the public would rightly expect, we’ve negotiated robust security provisions to protect the UK and the base for decades to come.”
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Here’s what’s happening today in Westminster
Good morning from all of us on the GB News Politics team, here’s what’s driving the day today in Westminster and beyond.
Our very own Political Editor Chris Hope is currently en route to Beijing alongside the Prime Minister. Friends of GB News can read up why he’s headed to China here.
Meanwhile, back in Westminster, it’s Deputy Prime Minister’s Questions as David Lammy is up to the dispatch box. The Conservatives have not yet confirmed who they’ll be putting up to face him.
Angela Rayner has reportedly urged Labour’s leadership to “do better” at a private fundraising dinner as she teased a return to frontline politics ahead of the crucial by-election in Manchester. Our reporter Dan McDonald has the story here.
North of the border, the Conservatives are looking to defend a seat in Scotland after the jailing of a local councillor triggered a by-election. Ben McCaffrey has done a deep dive into the Bearsden South ward in East Dunbartonshire here.
Landlords across the country are continuing their plans to ban Labour MPs from their pubs as “the threshold has not been met” over plans to for pubs and music venues to get 15 per cent off their business rates bills
We’ll be hearing today from Andy Lennox, the Dorset landlord who started the ban, says rates reform was only one part of their demands and it was for the whole sector, not just pubs.
He says they stand in solidarity with wider Hospitality who have been excluded and thus will not be lifting the #NoLabourMP ban. Mr Lennox says, “the industry needs meaningful change, today’s announcement was not it.”
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