2004 European Parliament election in Gibraltar

2004 European Parliament election in Gibraltar
10 June 2004 2009 →
7 seats in the European Parliament
  First party Second party
 
Leader Michael Howard Tony Blair
Party Conservative Labour
Alliance Social Democrats Socialist Labour
Leader since 6 November 2003 21 July 1994
Popular vote 8,297 1,127
Percentage 70.67% 9.60%
EP group ED, within EPP-ED PES
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Caroline Lucas Charles Kennedy
Party Green Liberal Democrats
Alliance Reform Liberal
Leader since 2003 9 August 1999
Popular vote 1,058 905
Percentage 9.01% 7.71%
EP group Greens–EFA ALDE

European Parliament elections were held for the first time in Gibraltar on 10 June 2004 as part of European Union-wide elections. Although part of the European Union, Gibraltar had never before voted in European Parliamentary elections, in part due to its small electorate of just over 20,000 which would cause Gibraltar to be over-represented by about 30 times if even a single seat were to be assigned.

This disenfranchisement applied by the United Kingdom was successfully challenged before the European Court of Human Rights in 1999. As a result, from 2004 Gibraltar was included by the United Kingdom within the South West England region for electoral purposes.

Spain took a complaint about Gibraltar participating in EU elections to the Court of Justice of the European Union, objecting to the enfranchisement of Commonwealth citizens and the creation of a combined electoral region, but its case was unsuccessful.[1]

None of the main Gibraltar political parties contested the election, so voters chose from United Kingdom party lists. However, Lyana Armstrong-Emery of the small Reform Party had a place on a joint list with the Green Party.

Michael Howard addresses voters outside the Gibraltar House of Assembly (now the Gibraltar Parliament).

The Conservative Party polled over two-thirds of the Gibraltar vote, with no other party exceeding 10% support. This was in large part due to the perception that the Labour Government in Britain had "betrayed" Gibraltar by attempting to negotiate a constitutional settlement involving joint sovereignty with Spain.[2] This arrangement was rejected overwhelmingly by Gibraltarians in the 2002 sovereignty referendum. The Conservatives were perceived as being unequivocal in their support for Gibraltar's continued British status. In addition, both the leader of the Conservative Party, Michael Howard, and his deputy, Michael Ancram, flew in to rally support. Before the election, the local Conservatives mounted a vigorous campaign.

Results

Turnout was 57.5% in Gibraltar, higher than the 37.8% for the electoral region as a whole.

PartyGibraltarSouth West EnglandSeats
Votes%Votes%
Conservative Party8,29770.67457,37131.583
Labour Party1,1279.60209,90814.491
Green1,0589.01103,8217.170
Liberal Democrats9057.71265,61918.341
UKIP1401.19326,78422.562
British National Party1050.8943,6533.010
Countryside880.7530,8242.130
Respect Party200.1710,4730.720
Total11,740100.001,448,453100.007
Valid votes11,74098.371,448,45399.64
Invalid/blank votes1941.635,2080.36
Total votes11,934100.001,453,661100.00
Registered voters/turnout20,74057.543,845,21037.80
Source: European Parliamnent

References

  1. ^ "EUR-Lex – 62004CJ0145 – EN – EUR-Lex". eur-lex.europa.eu.
  2. ^ Wilkinson, Isambard (18 May 2004). "The Tories won't let you down, Howard tells Gibraltar". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2008.

External links

  • Question over EU voting rights adds to dispute between Spain and Britain over Gibraltar status
  • Election 2004
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