The Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons who told Gibraltar the option of being in the EU with Spain or out of the EU with the UK has been appointed as the Brexit spokesman for the far-right European People’s Party in the European Parliament.

Sr Gonzalez Pons will take on responsibility to coordinate and communicate the EPP’s position during Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU.

Last week, Sr Gonzalez Pons told the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Scottish MP Fiona Hyslop there are no “a la carte” options when it comes to Brexit. In addition, he told Gibraltar it could either be “in with Spain or out with the UK”.

The two representatives were invited to the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee on their stance on Brexit.

In a statement on the EPP website, Sr Gonzalez Pons said: “Brexit is a key issue in the European agenda because the EU will be very different after the United Kingdom leaves.

“We need to guarantee to hold up the values and principles which sustain the EU in these negotiations and that they respect the rights of the EU citizens living in the UK.”

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