Labour MP Alex Ballinger has defended the Government's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, insisting it will cost £3.4billion rather than the £30billion figure claimed by critics.

Speaking to GB News, Ballinger firmly rejected the higher estimate, stating: "I'm saying the way that the Civil Service calculates the cost of these things means that it costs £3.4billion. It's how we compare it to other projects. It's 2 per cent of the defence budget".

Labour MP Alex Ballinger has defended the Government's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, insisting it will cost £3.4billion rather than the £30billion figure claimed by critics.Speaking to GB News, Ballinger firmly rejected the higher estimate, stating: "I'm saying the way that the ...{ai:summary}<p>Labour MP Alex Ballinger has defended the UK Government's agreement to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, asserting the cost will be £3.4 billion, contrary to critics' claims of £30 billion. He emphasized that the Civil Service's cost calculations are based on standard comparisons. </p><p>Ballinger noted this figure represents only 2 percent of the defense budget, framing it as a manageable expense. #politics</p>

WATCH: Labour MP defends Chagos deal and claims Mauritius is a 'close friend' of Britain

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