Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo believes revoking the UK's Article 50 notification is the only way "to take back control" of the Brexit process.

If MPs once again reject Prime Minister Theresa May's withdrawal agreement, Mr Picardo recommended the government rescind Article 50 - the two-year window for arranging the UK's departure.

The House of Commons has twice voted down Mrs May's Brexit deal, but she is expected to bring it back for a third vote next week, despite the heavy defeats.

Prior to any further vote, the prime minister is seeking approval for a three-month delay to Brexit - to 30 June - from EU leaders at a Brussels summit on Thursday.

Image: Fabian Picardo believes Article 50 should be revoked

Mr Picardo claimed the fact a decision on whether to grant an extension to the Article 50 negotiating period is in the hands of the EU should serve as a warning.


He told Sky News: "If MPs support the withdrawal agreement we can leave without having to have a catastrophic bump on the road for the UK.

"If MPs do not support the withdrawal agreement then parliament has already said no deal should be taken off the table.

"The Europeans are also a part of the negotiation of how you take no deal off the table.

"We've seen the reaction of the president of the European Council yesterday, we can anticipate what the reaction of the rest of the European leaders will be today.

"And therefore, on Tuesday MPs do not back the withdrawal agreement, the only way for the UK to take back control of the Brexit process is to revoke the Article 50 notification - even if you then seek to continue the process of Brexit.

"The EU said 'we won't even start negotiating withdrawal with you until you give the Article 50 notice'.

"Well, now we've seen all their cards. Let's revoke and let's slowly determine for ourselves, as a nation, together, what we want to do in the future.

"I would still advocate remaining. Even if you advocate leaving, this may be the best way to engineer how the UK leaves in the future."

I’ve signed. And it looks like every sane person in the country is signing too. National emergency. Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU. - Petitions https://t.co/tPgkaz1soi — Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) March 20, 2019

At the 2016 EU referendum, Gibraltar voted by nearly 96% to remain in the EU.

Mr Picardo insisted it is still his view that Gibraltar "is safer in the EU", adding: "The best deal for the UK is to stay in the EU and I think the referendum result was brought about by people being sold on a false prospectus.

"But, having said that, Gibraltar has accepted the result of the referendum and we have negotiated with Mrs May's team - Mrs May's much-maligned team of officials who have done an excellent job as history will show - to produce a withdrawal agreement that at least protects us with a transitional period."

Image: The parliamentary petitions website went down due to a 'sustained load'

Following Mrs May's announcement on Wednesday that she is seeking a delay to Brexit, a parliamentary petition calling for the revocation of Article 50 has rapidly attracted support.

Actors Hugh Grant and Jennifer Saunders both promoted the petition on social media, as did physicist Brian Cox.

More than 600,000 had signed the petition by 9am, at which time the website reported an error message.

By 12.30pm, more than 800,000 had signed the petition with the website restored.

A House of Commons spokesperson said the "technical difficulties" were due to "a large and sustained load on the system".