Ukip MEP William Dartmouth calls for royal visit to Gibraltar
A UKIP MEP wants the royal family to get involved in the Gibraltar dispute to indicate how strongly Britain stands behind the island's citizens.
William Dartmouth, MEP for the South West of England and Gibraltar, suggested that a representative of the royal family should be present as the Rock marks 300 years of British sovereignty.
Lord Dartmouth said: "Nothing could demonstrate more to the citizens of Gibraltar how strongly Britain stands behind them in wishing to stay part of the United Kingdom that a visit by a member of the royal family.
"I am delighted that the British government has sent a naval task force to Gibraltar headed by HMS Bulwark and Montrose from their Devonport base.
"It is now three hundred years since the Treaty of Utrecht placed Gibraltar under British rule and it would be wonderful if it could be commemorated by a Royal visit."
The call comes after David Cameron called for the EU to "urgently" intervene in a dispute that arose after Spain introduced additional border controls for those entering or leaving Gibraltar.
The Prime Minister called the checks "politically motivated and disproportionate" and "contrary to the EU right of free movement".
Lord Dartmouth though, is not impressed that Cameron is going "cap in hand" to the European Commission in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
He added: "The very fact that a British Prime Minister has had to go cap in hand to the European Commission to ask Spain to stop it's border harassment's shows just how toothless this once proud nation has become.
"When it comes to the point when we have to ask someone else to protect our interests we have obviously fallen a long way."