Inaugural meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Gibraltar
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Gibraltar held its formative and inaugural meeting of the new parliament at the House of Commons yesterday.
Amanda Martin MP, Labour representative for Portsmouth North, has been elected as the new Chair of the APPG. Martin Vickers MP, a long-standing Conservative member of the previous APPG on Gibraltar, was elected as a Vice-Chair along with former Minister for Europe Wendy Morton MP (Conservative) and newly-elected Liberal Democrat Alasdair Pinkerton MP.
Following the election of officers, MPs and Peers were given an overview of the current situation in Gibraltar by UK Representative Dominque Searle.
Elected representatives from the four largest parties in Westminster – Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party – were all present at the inaugural meeting. The Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Unionist Party were also represented at the meeting, reinforcing the broad cross-party support that Gibraltar receives across Westminster.
In total well over the new requirement of MPs and Peers have signed up as interested in attending future meetings.
Under the new rules established for APPGs, the formation of the group will be ratified by the Speaker of the House of Commons in the coming days to ensure APPGs comply.
Pic shows:
Clockwise at table from front left: Matt Bishop MP (Lab), Lord Marland (Cons), Robin Swann MP (UUP), Graham Leadbitter MP (SNP), Lord Hanny, Chair Amanda Martin MP (Labour), Baroness Butler Sloss, Lord Rogan (UUP), Martin Vickers MP (Cons), Ashley Fox MP (Cons), Al Pinkerton MP (Lib Dem) and Baroness Hooper (Cons). Rear Dominique Searle and Sammy Wilson MP (DUP).
