Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants to "recast" Britain's deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after US opposition left the agreement in limbo.

Speaking to The Economist on his return from the Commonwealth summit in Antigua, Mr Burnham said he wanted "a new discussion" with Washington over the islands, home to the joint UK–US base on Diego Garcia.

"We are in discussion with our US friends to see how we might recast the arrangement that better meets their concerns," he said.

Greenland held up as a possible model

Mr Burnham suggested the US–Denmark arrangement on Greenland could offer a template: Greenland stays Danish, the US builds up a military presence, and its adversaries are barred from building bases.

"We look at the Greenland deal and obviously there was a solution reached there. Now, maybe there is something there we can take from that," he said.

A deal stuck since September

The original agreement, struck by former prime minister Keir Starmer, would have transferred sovereignty to Mauritius while keeping the Diego Garcia base under a 99-year lease. Britain would pay £165 million a year for the first three years, then £120 million a year.

The deal stalled after President Donald Trump made his opposition clear, saying in September: "I don't support it – I think it's a terrible deal." Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has since said payments to Mauritius are suspended.

Progress promised by the end of the year

Downing Street said Mr Burnham wants progress by the end of the year. He raised it with his Mauritian counterpart at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua, where the two sides agreed to work on a shared plan.

Sources: The Guardian, Burnham wants to recast Chagos Islands deal after US resistance, 5 November 2026, https://vidianews.com/news/20180-burnham-wants-to-recast-chagos-islands-deal-after-us-resistance ; PA Media via Gazette & Herald, 5 November 2026, https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/national/26702375.andy-burnham-wants-progress-chagos-islands-stalemate-by-end-year/ .