▁Conserv atives ▁in ▁European ▁and ▁UK ▁Parliament ary ▁elections . ▁▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁The ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁pol led ▁over ▁two - third s ▁of ▁the ▁Gib ral tar ▁vote , ▁with ▁no ▁other ▁party ▁exceed ing ▁ 1 0 % ▁support . ▁This ▁was ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁per ception ▁that ▁the ▁Labour ▁Government ▁in ▁Britain ▁had ▁" bet rayed " ▁Gib ral tar ▁by ▁attempting ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁a ▁constitution al ▁settlement ▁involving ▁joint ▁so vere ig nt y ▁with ▁Spain . ▁ ▁This ▁arrangement ▁was ▁rejected ▁over wh el ming ly ▁by ▁Gib ral t ari ans ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁so vere ig nt y ▁refer endum . ▁The ▁Conserv atives ▁were ▁perce ived ▁as ▁being ▁une qu iv ocal ▁in ▁their ▁support ▁for ▁Gib ral tar ' s ▁continued ▁British ▁status . ▁In ▁addition ▁both ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party , ▁Michael ▁Howard , ▁and ▁his ▁deput y , ▁Michael ▁An c ram , ▁fle w ▁in ▁to ▁r ally ▁support . ▁Before ▁the ▁election ▁the ▁local ▁Conserv atives ▁mounted ▁a ▁vig orous ▁campaign . ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁The ▁Conserv atives ▁won ▁with ▁ 5 1 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes . ▁▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁On ▁the ▁previous ▁two ▁occasions ▁Gib ral tar ▁has ▁participated ▁in ▁European ▁elections , ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁had ▁to pped ▁the ▁poll . ▁The ▁Liberal ▁Democr ats ▁won ▁the ▁popular ▁vote ▁in ▁the ▁territory ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time .