Flawed Chagos deal would fund Army brigade'

ARMY chiefs could be forced to axe the equivalent of an entire brigade to meet the cost of the flawed Chagos Islands deal, an MP claimed last night.

-  Marco Giannangeli

It comes as the US warns Europe that it must "step into the arena and take ownership" of its own defence while Washington focuses on China.

Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP, a former army officer, said: "Meeting the huge costs this deal brings could have drastic consequences for our defence capability." Labour's cede controversial deal to sovereignty was pegged at £9billion for a 99-year lease of the islands, which contain a crucial military base on Diego Garcia.