Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, praises British Forces Gibraltar during visit

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, visited British Forces Gibraltar last Friday to engage with personnel, learn about their operations and contributions, and highlight the crucial role they play in Gibraltar’s security and defense.

During his visit Mr Speaker was welcomed by Commanding Officer (CO) Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron (RNGS), and the CO of HMS Cutlass, before being briefed on operations conducted by RNGS.

CO RNGS highlighted the unique operating profile of the Squadron, including the very high readiness of HMS Cutlass and HMS Dagger, as well as the sailors and soldiers who make up the Squadron, 365 days a year.

Mr Speaker took the opportunity to join the Squadron for a ‘stand easy’, taking questions and listening to the experiences of the RNGS team.

He thanked them for their hard work and their commitment to Gibraltar. Sir Lindsay’s visit also gave the Squadron a chance to hear about his work as Speaker of the House, and to take part in a Q&A about his wider role.

“I am delighted to have welcomed Mr Speaker to RNGS and update him on the achievements of the Squadron, as well as giving him the opportunity to speak with the team who deliver daily on operations and make our achievements possible,” said CO RNGS.

“Later that morning, Mr Speaker had an office call with Commander British Forces Gibraltar, Commodore Tom Guy, before heading to Devil’s Tower Camp where he was welcomed by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment’s CO.”

“Mr Speaker was briefed on the soldiers’ training and day-to-day responsibilities and highlighted the importance of recognising the contributions of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) who have been to 25 different countries on exercises, sports, operations, training, and adventure training over the last two years.”

CO RG said: “It was a great pleasure for the Regiment to welcome Sir Lindsay Hoyle back and a great opportunity for the soldiers to update him on their recent deployments. After a very busy year, a change of Commanding Officer imminent, and operations already planned for 2025, it provided him with a timely update of all that we are doing to support British Forces Gibraltar and wider Defence.”

And the Commander British Forces said: “It was an honour to welcome Sir Lindsay Hoyle to British Forces Gibraltar once again. This visit has provided a valuable opportunity to showcase the dedication and professionalism of all our personnel and to highlight the crucial role our Armed Forces play in ensuring security and stability within Gibraltar.”