The UK Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has accused his country of pressuring the Maldives government to stop him from traveling to the Chagos Islands.
Four Chagossians went to the islands last week to settle permanently in protest against Britain's decision to cede sovereignty to Mauritius.
The UK government has ordered them to leave the area, while the country's opposition believes the government cannot issue such an order.
According to media reports, Farage flew to the Maldives with supplies last week to help the four Chagossians.
In a video posted on his social media platforms, Farage said the Starmer government was putting pressure on the Maldives government and President Mohamed Muizzu to stop him.
He also told the Telegraph that a senior official in the Maldives government shared this information with him.
“I cannot believe such an attempt has been made to stop a British citizen from reaching British territory. My source told me the British were ‘very concerned’ about me and wanted to know why I was here.
“This trip is a humanitarian mission and I don’t want my presence to jeopardise that.”
The Maldives government has not yet commented on the matter.
The UK agreed to grant Mauritius sovereignty over the Chagos. Mauritius claims sovereignty over Chagos because the UK sent some 2,000 Chagossians to Mauritius after deciding to build a military base there.
Most of them now live in Mauritius and the UK, but majority of them want to return to Chagos.
