Government says it welcomes the chorus of support for Gibraltar in the House of Lords last night during the debate on the report ‘Brexit: Gibraltar’.

This solid support came from Peers on the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and the Cross benches.

There were eighteen contributions to the Gibraltar debate yesterday evening which was opened by the Committee Chairman Lord Boswell of Aynho. This included strong backing for Gibraltar from former Governor Lord Luce and long-time supporters Labour Peer Lord Hoyle and Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Chidgey.

There were also a number of new voices.

In her response for the Government, Baroness Goldie reaffirmed that the economic bonds between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar would be strengthened and maintained after exit from the European Union.

The Government is very grateful to the Chairman and Members of the House of Lords Committee and to the Peers who backed Gibraltar last night.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, said: "The session in the House of Lords last night was deeply important for Gibraltar. Lord Boswell's committee has done a huge service in the timely preparation of their report on 'Brexit: Gibraltar'. To have, additionally, secured a debate on that report a week before the formal Article 50 Notice is given, I think, is hugely beneficial to Gibraltar and has been enormously helpful in demonstrating the depth of support that Gibraltar now enjoys from all sides of the House, including the central, Crossbench, Peers who have demonstrated they care about our rights in this process. I am also very grateful for the response of Her Majesty's Government, which has been unequivocal. I think this has been the first time a Chief Minister and his team has been invited to attend and sit below the bar in the House of Lords and I am very proud for all of Gibraltar that this has been the case. I am very grateful indeed to all of their Lordships who supported Gibraltar in the report of the Brexit Select Committee and who last night orchestrated a chorus of support for Gibraltar and its people in this important and timely debate. It is at times of challenge that friendships are forged, and we can see our long-term friends continuing staunch in our support and new friends also flocking to Gibraltar's cause, which are silver linings in these times."