Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, met senior ministers in Gibraltar this week to discuss the impact of Brexit for the territory.

Gibraltar voted 96% ‘‘Remain’’ in last year’s EU referendum and its economy is highly dependent on the European Single Market with half of its workforce commuting across the border to Spain. A hard Brexit, as advocated by the PM, could devastate Gibraltar’s economy and further isolate the territory.

Tom Brake, commenting after his visit, said:

“With alarming signs that Spain might want to use the Brexit negotiations to regain control of the territory, the Government should be standing up for the people of Gibraltar.”

Tom Brake MP met Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of the Liberal Party, Joseph Garcia, the Minister for Culture, Media, Youth, and Sports, Steve Linares, the Attorney General, Michael Llamas, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Education, John Cortes, the Minister for Financial Services and Gaming, Albert Isola and the Minister for Health, Care and Justice, Neil Costa.

Other issues raised with Mr Brake included the threat from Brexit to Gibraltar’s thriving online gaming industry and Gibraltar’s environment.