BETRAYAL and self-harm. And¥ Burnham's Chagos deal (it's his deal now) betrays the Chagossian people, who were violently expelled from their homes 60 years ago. The deal seriously threatens the precious ecosystems of the Archipelago, which is believed to contain significant deposits of rare-earth elements. Mauritius has not spent £millions on the best international lawyers money can buy, such as Keir Starmer's "great mate" Philippe Sands, to acquire Chagos without good reason. Last month, Mauritius secured UN approval to extend its continental shelf and sovereign rights over the seabed resources around Rodrigues Island by 145,000 square kilometres. The newly recognised area is believed to contain polymetallic nodules rich in cobalt, nickel, copper and rare earth elements. 🏝️🛩️⛈️ Starmer's deal doesn't even🟥secure the military base on Diego Garcia. The deal operationally hobbles the base, and increases the dangers to the British and American military personnel, and the civilians who work there, and in the wider Central Indian Ocean region. Diego Garcia's remoteness made it easy to defend in the past, but the deal leaves the Diego Garcia base worryingly vulnerable to the growing threats posed by the new longer-range missiles, and more sophisticated, and lethal, drones. When Starmer, Hermer and their advisors made the deal, which leases only Diego Garcia, it was well known that the outer islands of the Chagos Archipelago were the ideal locations to deploy early warning, and air-defense systems, to protect the main base from missile and drone attacks. Mauritius is a signatory of the Pelindaba African Weapon-Free Zone Treaty which bans all nuclear weapons from treaty members' territory. Pelindaba gives each of the more the 40 countries who have signed it the right to inspect the facilities on Diego Garcia if they suspect nuclear arms are being stored there. The deal gives Mauritius sovereignty over everything, including control of the airspace above the Chagos Archipelago, which at 250,000 square miles is the same size as France. The implications of controlling such a vast area of airspace in a strategically vital region are huge. Mauritius has banned planes entering its current airspace when China asked them to. Starmer agreed to pay Mauritius, which is considerably smaller in size than Luxembourg, has a population of just over one-and-a-quarter million, and a international reputation for major financial fraud, and money laundering, multiple £billions of UK taxpayer money to lease Diego Garcia for 99 years, and he did it knowing that it leaves the island increasingly vulnerable to a deadly missile or drone attack. And¥ Burnham continuing Starmer's deal knowing all of the above would be an act of colossal self-harm to the UK's reputation and its relationships with allies and friends. It would also be an indefensible betrayal of the Chagossian people, who overwhelming want their homeland to remain British territory.