Gibraltar Gay Rights Group has accused Chief Minister Peter Caruana of treading on a path that could provoke "a confrontation between Gibraltar and Britain" on the controversial issue of the equalisation of the age of consent for gays.

In response to the news that Britain has filed to intervene in the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on the issue, Felix Alvarez, welcomed the fact that "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."

Mr Alvarez further accuses the Chief Minister of having "a sectarian homophobic agenda."

"One can only conclude that Mr Caruana 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," adds Mr Alvarez.