The government has been temporarily blocked from concluding the Chagos Islands deal by a late-night High Court injunction.

Ministers had been expected to complete a deal that would have seen the UK hand over sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius in the coming hours.

But in an emergency injunction granted early on Thursday, brought against the Foreign Office, Mr Justice Goose allowed “interim relief” to Bertrice Pompe, who had previously taken steps to bring legal action over the deal.

Ms Pompe is a Chagossian woman who sees the deal as a betrayal of their rights.

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The order, granted at 2.25am, states the government may take “no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government or bind itself as to the particular terms of any such transfer”.

A hearing is taking place at the High Court this morning, with crowds gathered in support of the block.

The government insisted this morning the Chagos Islands deal is the “right thing” for the UK.

A spokesperson said: “We do not comment on ongoing legal cases. This deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security.”

It was expected that Sir Keir Starmer would attend a virtual ceremony today to formally hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, despite heavy criticism from the Conservatives and Reform UK.

The government has argued international legal rulings in favour of Mauritius mean this handover is necessary.

As part of the deal, the UK will lease back a military base on the archipelago for 99 years.

Robert Jenrick, the former justice secretary, told Sky News that the Chagos Islands deal is a “sell-out for British interests”.

He said: “You’re seeing British sovereign territory being given away to an ally of China and billions of pounds of British taxpayers money being spent for the privilege.

“So, if this group can force the government to think twice, then all power to them.”

With this injunction in place, Sir Keir can no longer legally complete the deal.

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Ms Pompe, who filed the application for interim relief, believes the British government is acting with disregard for the human rights of the Chagossian people.

She has argued completion of the deal would amount to a breach of the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act.

Chagossians are the former residents of the Chagos Islands, who were removed from the islands, predominantly to Mauritius, between the mid-1960s and early-1970s.

Those born on the islands and their children hold British nationality, but subsequent generations born outside British territory have no entitlement to it.

Irish rap trio Kneecap have branded the charging of one of their members with a terror offence in the UK as “political policing” in a bid to “silence voices of compassion”.

Liam Og O hAannaidh has been charged over the alleged displaying of a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation, at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, on 21 November.

The 27-year-old from Belfast in Northern Ireland – who performs under the stage name Mo Chara – is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 18 June.

In a statement on X, the group said: “14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us.”

The UN has since clarified the widely reported claim, saying an estimated 14,000 babies are in danger of acute malnutrition between April 2025 and March 2026 – within a year, not 48 hours.

The group added: “We deny this ‘offence’ and will vehemently defend ourselves. This is political policing. This is a carnival of distraction. We are not the story. Genocide is.

“As they profit from genocide, they use an ‘anti-terror law’ against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage.

“A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn’t have a jury. What’s the objective?

“To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out.

“Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries.

“Then, like now, they claim justification.

“The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.

“We stand proudly with the people. You stand complicit with the war criminals. We are on the right side of history. You are not.

“We will fight you in court. We will win. Free Palestine.”

Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command were made aware of a video circulating online on 22 April, the force said.

An investigation led to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorising the charge.

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Kneecap apologised last month to the families of murdered MPs after videos emerged allegedly showing the band calling for the deaths of MPs and shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.

The group said footage of the incident had been “exploited and weaponised”, adding they have “never supported” Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK.

The incident led to gigs being cancelled and calls for the band to be dropped from the Glastonbury Festival and TRNSMT line-ups.

The trio are due to headline Wide Awake Festival in south London on Friday.

In an interview on Thursday morning, Ireland’s deputy premier said Hezbollah or Hamas should not be conflated with the cause of the Palestinian people.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said: “To take Hamas first, Hamas is a despicable terrorist organisation. It carried out a brutal terrorist attack in Israel that has been condemned by Ireland and all right-thinking people.

“They offer the people of Palestine no future of hope or positivity. They shouldn’t be in any way, shape or form given any succour – and aren’t – by Ireland.

“When it comes to Hezbollah, I’m also the minister for defence in this country. We’re fighting daily for justice for Private Sean Rooney. Hezbollah, again, is an illegal terrorist organisation that have brought pain, suffering and death to Irish peacekeepers.”

There was “no reason to suspect equipment failure” after a woman died while skydiving, an inquest has heard.

Jade Damarell died after crashing onto farmland in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, on 27 April.

At a brief inquest opening hearing on Thursday, coroner’s officer Alexis Blighe told the court Ms Damarell was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and lived in Caerphilly, South Wales.

Ms Blighe said she understood the 32-year-old was “involved in a parachute incident on 27 April”.

A post-mortem examination found that she had died as a result of “blunt trauma”.

The court heard the body was identified by Bryn Chaffe, the chief instructor at the skydiving firm Ms Damarell used.

Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield asked Ms Blighe: “There’s no reason to suspect equipment failure?”

Ms Blighe replied: “No reason at all.”

The inquest was adjourned until 21 August.

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After her death, her family had told reporters: “Skydiving and its fantastic community meant so much to Jade and we’re incredibly comforted by how admired, respected and deeply loved she was.

“We miss her beyond words but Jade’s love, brilliance, courage and light will live on in our family and among all those who knew and loved her.”

Following Ms Damarell’s death, Sky-High Skydiving, which is based at Shotton airfield, said: “It is with great sadness that we confirm a tragic incident took place involving a valued member of our community.”