GETTY Spain plan to take Gibraltar as soon as Britain leaves the EU

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The country's Foreign Minister said his country will poach the British outpost “the very next day” but the comments have been condemned in the UK. Ukip blasted Jose Manual Garcia-Margallo's “territorial threats” and reassured the people of Gibraltar that they had “nothing to fear” from a possible Brexit.

But Gibraltar’s chief minister Fabien Picardo said Spain could “pounce on us” if UK decided to leave the EU. He said: “It is safer and more secure for Gibraltar to remain in the EU to deny Mr Margallo the opportunity to pounce on us. “We have fought to ensure that Gibraltar is able to vote in the Brexit referendum so that we can influence that decision.” Last year MPs warned British lives were being put at risk by “aggressive, illegal” tacts from Spanish boats in the region. Escalating tensions on The Rock have prompted Jack Lopresti, who is chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Gibraltar, to urge the Government to "significantly increase" its naval presence in the Strait.

GETTY Jose Manual Garcia-Margallo said Gibralter will be taken the following day

Julia Reid, the party’s MEP for Gibraltar, lashed out at comments and warned off any move made by Spain. She said: “Gibraltar has nothing to fear, any move for the outpost, which is as British and Britain itself, would be repelled, as every attempt has been for hundreds of years. “And even if Britain votes to leave the EU, it doesn’t make any difference, Gibraltar will still be British territory and that’s that. “It sounds more like an old communique from Buenos Aires, rather than a new one from Madrid.” Mr Margallo said "we’ll be talking about Gibraltar the very next day" if Britons vote to quit the bloc on June 23.



It comes as Mr Cameron said he was seriously concerned over the escalation of tensions between Spain and Britain over Gibraltar. In a blatant act of aggression, Spain warned that it is ready to impose border taxes and close its airspace to planes heading towards Gibraltar airport. Mr Cameron said: "Clearly, we remain concerned by the events at the Spain/Gibraltar border." He added: "Specifically the issue of border fees, the Spanish have not raised the prospect of introducing border fees with us." Last week, Gibraltar's chief minister accused Spain of acting like North Korea over the dispute. Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's chief minister, said Spain was acting like dictators and using "politics of madness" to get its way.

GETTY Warnings of defiance have been sent out from the UK

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