Is Sir Keir Starmer determined to make himself more unpopular with the British public? The news of his latest Chagos offer is hardly likely to endear the Prime Minister to his critics - not least given the Labour leader has reportedly offered the Mauritians yet more money and 'complete sovereignty' of an island containing a US naval base. Way to go, Keir!

Speaking to parliamentarians, the new Mauritian prime minister Navin Ramgoolam claimed today that Starmer cut a deal - in the presence, rather curiously, of his Attorney General Lord Hermer - that would effectively double the £9 billion first offered to the country to take back the archipelago. 'We remain confident it will reach a speedy resolution in the coming weeks,' the Mauritian politician asserted.