David Lammy will meet Donald Trump’s secretary of state in a last-ditch effort to convince the US to back the Chagos Islands deal, The Telegraph understands.

Foreign Secretary will meet his new US counterpart Marco Rubio for the first time to persuade Trump's administration to back the hated scheme

Donald Trump’s secretary of state challenged David Lammy over Britain’s deal to give away the Chagos Islands in their first call together, The Telegraph can reveal. Marco Rubio is understood to have sought reassurance that the agreement will not undermine US security interests, given there is an American base on one of the islands.

A Labour MP questioned claims by the Foreign Secretary that the Government has engaged with the Chagossians throughout the process.