Ministers should consider Gibraltar's "reasonable" request for a Royal Navy warship to help safeguard against Spanish incursions, Labour have said.
Shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker, who is leading a delegation of Opposition MPs to the territory, said the request should be given "full and prompt consideration" following the "provocative and dangerous" actions by the Spanish authorities.
Months of tension have seen repeated incursions by Spanish state vessels into Gibraltar's waters and the opening of British diplomatic bags at the border.
The Labour delegation was meeting Gibraltar's chief minister Fabian Picardo, Commander of British Forces Gibraltar Commodore John Clink and Acting Governor General Alison MacMillan during the visit.
Mr Coaker said: "The Chief Minister of Gibraltar has asked that Royal Navy ships are made available to support patrol vessels monitoring British waters around The Rock. That is a reasonable request that should be given full and prompt consideration by the MoD."
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