May 27 - Gordon Brown Says Remain Vote Must Win The Referendum "As Much For The UK As For Gibraltar"
Gordon Brown told Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo the remain vote has to win the referendum “as much for the rest of the United Kingdom as for Gibraltar”.
The former Labour Prime Minister was visiting the European Parliament at the same time as a delegation from the Government of Gibraltar, including Mr Picardo, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia and Attorney General Michael Llamas QC were in Brussels on Wednesday.
Mr Brown used this opportunity to speak at the European Parliament to urge Prime Minister David Cameron to use the British EU presidency in 2017 to push for economic reforms that could create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Mr Brown, a staunch supporter of the UK remaining within the EU, spoke to a press conference at the European Parliament about the benefits of the UK remaining in the European Union.
He highlighted various aspects of the benefits to stay in the EU, including environmental factors, security, employment issues and economic advantages, saying 45% of British exports go to Europe, and 50% of investment in Britain comes from Europe.
He added: “Therefore millions of jobs depend on our trade with Europe. I don’t think anybody from the “Leave” or “Remain” campaigns can deny the fact that a huge number of exports to Europe means large numbers of jobs but for the future.”
Although Mr Brown refused any comment on Gibraltar, Mr Picardo maintained that it was excellent to have met him, describing him as “substance through and through”.
Mr Picardo said: “He was very good on the international tax justice agenda and equality and progressive politics that is happening in Europe and catching up in the rest of the world.
“He was very clear to me when I met him, and said the remain vote must win this European referendum as much for the United Kingdom as Gibraltar.
“Those were the words that resonated with me, he saw from my lapel that he had a friend and a colleague in the approach and he was extraordinarily supportive about Gibraltar’s position in the referendum.”
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