The prime minister of Mauritius has accused Sir Keir Starmer’s government of trying to fast-track its Chagos Islands deal, then backing out as Donald Trump’s inauguration loomed closer.

Navin Ramgoolam spoke after The Telegraph reported that Mr Trump’s team demanded Britain delay its decision to hand back the strategic islands to Mauritius until he was back in the White House.

“It was the British who wanted to move quickly at the beginning, and now they are changing their position,” Mr Ramgoolam told L’Express, the Mauritius-based newspaper.

“We remain consistent in our claims, and we will safeguard our interests in the medium and long term, not just the short term.”

Mr Ramgoolam expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed 99-year lease of Diego Garcia – one of the islands, which hosts a US-UK air base – and said that was why he pushed to renegotiate the Oct 3 agreement.