The British Government has filed in favour of an equal age of consent in Gibraltar. At the moment the age of consent is 16 for straights and lesbians, but 18 for gay men.

GGR (Gibraltar Equality Rights Groups) has welcomed this saying:
“The UK, the party responsible for this matter under international law, has once more made its position clear regarding the legal obligation for the age of consent to be equalised”.

Last year the Gibraltar Parliament rejected a private members bill to equalise the age of consent. The GGR saw this as a delaying tactic which could provoke a confrontation between Girbraltar and the UK.

Felix Alvarez of the GGR told UK Gay News:
"One can only conclude that Mr Caruana [Gibraltar's First Minister] cares very little for the wider interests of Gibraltar in its UK relationship when it comes to promoting his on-going crusade at tax payers’ expense against the Gibraltar gay community in pursuing what is a sectarian homophobic agenda. Gibraltar is for all – and the Chief Minister must look after the interests of all its citizens, without exclusion."