Dec 05 - Chief Minister Meets Visiting Labour MPs
The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia met with a delegation of Labour Members of Parliament this morning.
The visiting parliamentarians were Shadow Defence Secretary Vernon Coaker MP as well as Kevan Jones MP and Gareth Thomas MP.
The MPs were briefed on the latest political situation between Gibraltar and Spain.
Commenting on the visit, the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: "It has been extremely useful to be able to brief members of the Shadow Cabinet on the ground in Gibraltar. This visit reflects the widespread and cross-party support for Gibraltar in the UK Parliament even outside the All-Party Group. We have provided a detailed account of the hostile action that Spain is taking against Gibraltar on land, at sea and elsewhere. These briefings are important as we must keep our friends in Parliament up to date with the latest developments and in this way they will be able to stand up for Gibraltar against the intolerable behaviour of the present Spanish Government in Madrid. I have explained to the visiting MPs that the existing problems are caused by the hostility of the Partido Popular towards Gibraltar, their unwillingness to de-escalate the situation and by the fact that they abandoned the trilateral forum for dialogue which both the UK and Gibraltar remain committed to in the long term."
