Gibraltar row: Ukip's Nigel Farage demands Rock representative in Commons as Peter Hain calls for joint sovereignty

UKIP leader says Britain should send the message that the UK will not negotiate

Passengers disembark a flight shortly after landing at Gibraltar International Airport (Getty Images)

A compromise with Spain in the long territorial dispute over Gibraltar would make life better for the people of the Rock, a former Europe minister has said.

Peter Hain has urged the two governments to reopen negotiations to bring an end to the current crisis. But his call is unlikely to go down well with Gibraltarians, whose political leaders are adamant that there should be no compromise over the question of who rules the Rock.

Last week, the Spanish introduced tougher border checks, and Spain’s Foreign Minister, Jose Garcia-Margallo has threatened to impose a charge of €50 (£43) on every vehicle crossing the border.

Nigel Farage, leader of Ukip, called yesterday for Gibraltar to have its own elected MP in the House of Commons. “What I want to see is us saying to Gibraltar ‘Right, let’s integrate you more deeply in the UK,” he told ITV’s Daybreak.