YOU might not have heard much about the Chagos - a small group of islands in the Indian Ocean - but last week’s decision by the Labour Government to hand them over to Mauritius comes with a heavy price tag and big consequences for the UK - including for us here in Central Devon.

For over 200-years, the Chagos Islands have been part of British overseas territory. They’re not just a dot on the map - they’re home to an important UK-US military base that helps keep us safe in an increasingly uncertain world.

So, when the Government agreed to give up sovereignty over them, I - and my Conservative colleagues - had serious concerns.

Here’s the bit that really hits home. The financial cost. This deal is going to cost you, the taxpayer, around £30 billion over the next 99 years. That’s a huge sum - and I can’t help but think what that money could have done right here in our constituency.

While the Labour government spends billions on this disastrous deal, our pensioners face cuts to their Winter Fuel Payment.

Local businesses are contending with rising taxes and relentless red tape. And families are being squeezed at every turn with ever rising inflation.

Imagine if some of this money went into fixing our roads, supporting local NHS services, keeping rural bus routes running, helping young people into apprenticeships or providing more affordable housing.

That’s the sort of investment people tell me they want to see when I’m on the doorstep. Instead, we’re now looking at a deal that puts more pressure on public finances and offers little in return for local communities.

Labour’s priorities are utterly misplaced. Instead of backing Britain and standing firm for our security interests, they’ve caved in behind closed doors, prioritising appeasement over sovereignty. This is not just poor negotiation, it’s a failure of statecraft.

What’s also worrying is how the deal was done. These negotiations were rushed and shrouded in secrecy - with even some British officials left out of the room.

When decisions are being made about our national security and spending billions of pounds, the very least the public deserves is transparency.

Let’s not forget the national security risk either. The Chagos Islands host a key UK-US military base at Diego Garcia - a vital outpost in a volatile region.

By ceding sovereignty, Labour is playing fast and loose with our defence capabilities at a time when China and Russia are increasing their influence in the Indian Ocean.

Mauritius is already advancing cooperation with Russia and courting Chinese investment. What does that mean for Britain’s long-term security?

This deal isn’t just a mistake - it sets a dangerous precedent.

If Sir Keir Starmer is prepared to give up British territory and our strategic interests within months of coming into office, what else will he give up? Gibraltar? The Falkland Islands?

This isn’t about turning our backs on international cooperation. But there’s a right way to do things - and this wasn’t it.

The government should have taken a more considered, open, and balanced approach. Instead, they’ve signed away a valuable asset and left British taxpayers - including us in Devon - to pick up the bill.

I’ll be pressing for answers and doing everything I can to ensure that decisions like this are properly scrutinised. Our community - and our country - deserves better.