Burnham to review Chagos deal after Trump calls it 'terrible'
Andy Burnham will review the Chagos Islands deal after US President Donald Trump called it "terrible" and "ridiculous" during their first face-to-face meeting in New York on Tuesday. Trump praised Burnham as a "natural business person" but cast doubt on the agreement's future. The deal would hand sovereignty of the Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius under a £3.4 billion arrangement, while Britain leases the Diego Garcia military base, which hosts a joint US-UK facility. Burnham said he inherited the agreement and needs a resolution, adding he was confident of finding one with US partners. Burnham also raised the Falkland Islands' sovereignty with Trump, weeks after the president suggested the US might not aid the UK in an invasion scenario. The pair disagreed on AI regulation, with Burnham backing international rules and Trump rejecting "globalist schemes."