'Neither Labour nor Conservatives help Gibraltar economy'

11.36.06am GMT Fri 19th Jan 2007

Speaking following Wednesday's decision by UK Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram to award an MoD contract in Gibraltar to SERCO rather than accept a bid from local workers, Graham Watson, Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West and Gibraltar said:

"The UK Labour Government will be accused of letting Gibraltar down. Since the policy of contracting out was introduced by previous Conservative governments, protests from their side carry little credibility. Liberal Democrats, by contrast, are committed to securing a stable future for Gibraltar through helping to build a strong local economy."

Wednesday's government decision announced a contractorisation of around 300 MoD jobs in Gibraltar. The awarding of the tender to SERCO in favour of the in-house bid by local management and staff has seen widespread demonstrations in Gibraltar.