The UK is in talks with Mauritius about handing over the territory but continuing to lease one of the islands, Diego Garcia, which contains a UK-US military airbase.

However, progress has been delayed to allow the new US administration to look at the details of the deal.

It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer heads to Washington for talks with Trump, where the focus is expected to be on the Ukraine war.

Asked if Trump had a veto on the Chagos deal, Lammy, who is also in the US for the visit, told ITV: “If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward and the reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal or there is no deal.”

The foreign secretary added that he still believed “it’s the best deal”.