Member

I must reiterate that the Government inherited a situation where the long-term future of the military base, which is vital to UK and US security, was under threat, as Opposition Members know. The previous Government recognised that, which is why they began negotiations in 2022 and held 11 rounds of negotiations. This Government have secured a deal that protects the base for at least the next 99 years—a period that can be extended. That means that the UK and the US will be able to operate the base unchanged well into the next century.