Badenoch reaffirms Conservative support for Gibraltar at 2026 conference

The Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom, Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, visited Gibraltar’s stand at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham on 7 October 2026. She was received by Gibraltar’s Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry, the Hon Nigel Feetham KC MP, and the visit included direct discussions about the impact of recent UK gambling tax increases on Gibraltar’s gambling sector.

Conservative support for Gibraltar in Birmingham

The meeting between Kemi Badenoch and representatives of the Government of Gibraltar took place during the party’s annual conference in Birmingham. Nigel Feetham publicly thanked Badenoch and the Conservative Party for “the support the party has given Gibraltar for many years, in Government and in Opposition.” That statement formed part of a reception at the stand that attracted considerable media interest.

“It was a pleasure to welcome Kemi Badenoch to our stand,” said Nigel Feetham.

Feetham reiterated the official expectation that Badenoch’s words of support “will be well received at home” and extended a formal invitation for the leader to visit Gibraltar “to meet our people and see for herself how the new arrangements at the border work in practice.”

Kemi Badenoch attended accompanied by her husband, Hamish Badenoch. Also present were Jonathan Scott, Gibraltar’s Representative to the United Kingdom, and former Conservative MP Sir Bob Neill KC.

Impact of UK gambling taxes on Gibraltar’s gambling sector

During the visit, the Hon Nigel Feetham raised directly the effect that recent increases in UK gambling taxation are having on Gibraltar’s gambling ecosystem. Feetham held a productive dinner that afternoon with Louie French MP, Shadow Minister for Gambling; representatives of the [Betting and Gaming Council (BGC)](/b2b); and other Conservative MPs, where they discussed “the challenges faced by Gibraltar’s gambling sector” and the consequences of changes to the UK gambling tax regime.

Participants at the dinner debated with policymakers and industry representatives the practical effects of the tax reform: loss of competitiveness, relocation of activity or pressure on operators domiciled in Gibraltar. The Government of Gibraltar’s statement does not provide quantitative estimates of impact, but it emphasises that the issue was a central part of conversations with the Conservative Party.

Institutional agenda and political representation

Gibraltar’s stand at the conference also served an institutional role. Jonathan Scott, Gibraltar’s Representative to the United Kingdom, acted as liaison with delegates and the media; Sir Bob Neill KC, with experience in the House of Commons, took part in both public and private discussions.

At the Government of Gibraltar’s official reception during the conference, the Deputy Chief Minister, the Hon Dr Joseph Garcia CMG MP, offered thanks to the party for its historical support for British sovereignty of Gibraltar. Dr Garcia stated that British sovereignty of Gibraltar “is not negotiable”; his remarks concluded the evening’s formal programme.

“British sovereignty of Gibraltar is not negotiable,” declared the Hon Dr Joseph Garcia CMG MP.

Practical consequences and next steps for Gibraltar

The meetings in Birmingham combined political diplomacy with defence of economic interests. The Government of Gibraltar used its platform at the Conservative Party Conference to:

• reinforce political relationships with party figures who could influence policy towards Gibraltar;

• raise visibility of the impact of UK fiscal policy on operators and jobs connected to gambling in Gibraltar;

• request follow-up meetings in which authorities and industry would present concrete data and proposals.

Nigel Feetham expressed Gibraltar’s willingness to receive Kemi Badenoch on the Rock to show the changes in border controls and local operations since the new arrangements, although the statement does not set a date for such a visit.

Participants and their relevance

The names and offices present in Birmingham demonstrate the political and sectoral scope of the event. The list included:

• Kemi Badenoch MP, Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom);

• Hon Nigel Feetham KC MP, Minister for Justice, Trade and Industry (Gibraltar);

• Hamish Badenoch, companion to the Conservative leader;

• Jonathan Scott, Gibraltar’s Representative to the United Kingdom;

• Sir Bob Neill KC, former Conservative MP;

• Louie French MP, Shadow Minister for Gambling (United Kingdom);

• representatives of the [Betting and Gaming Council (BGC)](/b2b).

The Government of Gibraltar’s statement published on 7 October 2026 documents the sequence of meetings and the agenda; it does not include numerical estimates of fiscal impact nor specific legislative commitments from the United Kingdom.

What this means for operators and regulators

From a regulatory and commercial perspective, the exchange underlines the Government of Gibraltar’s intent to defend the interests of its gambling sector in the face of changes in UK fiscal policy. Open channels with Conservative MPs and with the BGC facilitate Gibraltar’s ability to present practical — operational and market — consequences that arise from fiscal decisions in London. Local operators and regulators will monitor developments and any requests for data or technical meetings arising from these contacts; these developments are of particular interest to the [regulatory community](/regulation) and to operators active in the [casino](/casino) market.

The statement does not mention new regulatory measures or rule changes by Gibraltar; it documents political representation and lobbying efforts made during the Conservative conference.

Context and the immediate agenda ahead

Gibraltar’s presence at the Conservative Party Conference is part of an established practice of political representation at UK party forums. The invitation to Kemi Badenoch to visit Gibraltar and the dinner with the Shadow Minister for Gambling keep lines of political and technical dialogue open. The Government of Gibraltar will continue to report any confirmed developments or invitations that result from these conversations.

Signed: Miguel Sandoval, Regulatory Correspondent.