Tim Farron blasted for using Gibraltar residents as ‘election pawns’ after saying Rock should have own MP
Lib Dem leader's whistle-stop tour accused of being publicity stunt to try to rescue ailing election campaign
Lib Dem boss Tim Farron will today offer the people of Gibraltar their own MP — but was immediately attacked for using residents of The Rock as “election pawns”.
He will use a whistle-stop tour of Gibraltar as a publicity stunt to try to rescue his ailing election campaign — with polls now suggesting the Europhile party could even lose MPs next month.
Mr Farron will not only call for Gibraltar to have a say in UK General Elections but also vow to give the vote to all British expats across Europe — insisting they deserve the vote more than ever before because Brexit will have a major impact on their status.
And he will claim Gibraltar will suffer the most from a “hard Brexit” deal.
But the arch-Remainer — who is campaigning for a second EU referendum — was humiliated on the eve of his trip to Gibraltar as the territory’s chief minister Fabian Picardo announced that the EU flag that flies in The Rock will be replaced with a Commonwealth emblem after Brexit.
And Mr Farron was slapped down by his Tory opponents, who accused him of trying to scaremonger Gibraltar’s 30,000 residents over Brexit.
Conservative candidate and Brexit supporter Andrew Bridgen blasted: “We already know that the EU is trying to use the people of Gibraltar as a pawn — now it would appear that Tim Farron is also trying to use the people of Gibraltar as an election pawn to try and revive his failing second referendum campaign.”
Mr Farron will vow to create a separate MP to represent Gibraltar.
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He told The Sun ahead of his visit: “UK Overseas Territories, like Gibraltar, should have a voice in the Westminster Parliament as well, whilst respecting their level of self-government and autonomy.”
And he claimed Theresa May had “disregarded” The Rock — which voted 96 per cent to stay in the EU — pointing out that the PM had neglected to mention Gibraltar once in her letter triggering Article 50 in March.
Mr Farron will add: “Liberal Democrats recognise the utter unfairness of a system which denies UK citizens living abroad a vote.
“Many of whom work for British companies, and millions here in Europe who now face the uncertainty of an extreme Brexit, possibly without any deal at all.
“Most of whom never get the right to vote in their new country of residence either.
“That is why in our manifesto, we’ve committed to establishing specific constituencies for all UK citizens who live abroad.”