MPs demand answers over fears UK officials’ phones hacked during Chagos negotiations

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The government has been pressed to provide answers after leaked recordings sparked fears the British High Commission in Mauritius had its phones hacked around the time the UK opened negotiations for the handover of the Chagos Islands. What action is the government taking to address this potentially major security breach?” Responding, foreign office minister Stephen Doughty said: “In regard to the points you raised about in the media, alleged hacks, those are subject to an ongoing police investigation in Mauritius, so I don’t want to comment. But my understanding is they’re historic, rather than relating to the recent negotiation period.” open image in gallery The Chagos issue is sensitive due to the secretive joint UK-US air base on Diego Garcia Multiple sources told The Independent that the conversation is thought to have taken place around the autumn of 2022, meaning it is likely to have occurred towards the start, or just ahead of, the negotiations over the Indian Ocean islands. open image in gallery The government struck a deal allowing the UK to retain the Diego Garcia base for the next 100 years It is understood that one of a number of complaints to the police in Mauritius came from the High Commission and that neither phone tapping nor AI manipulation have been ruled out yet.