A SPOT of sunshine could soon be coming to the West Midlands - via the ballot box.

The good people of Gibraltar are looking for a constituency in which to vote at the next election to the European Parliament.

The Rock - population 27,000 - is too small to have its own MEP.

The West Midlands could be just the right place, according to current Tory MEP, Philip Bradbourn.

He is lobbying the Government and boundary commission to include the outpost in the region's electoral constituency and has been backed by the Government of Gibraltar.

It had previously been thought the colony would be represented by a London MEP.

But Mr Bradbourn said: "Why should they be tagged on to London, that hosts a Labour government which is trying to negotiate away a part of the kingdom that so clearly wishes to stay British?"

Does he, by any chance, think the residents of the Rock will vote Tory?

One clue could be the front page of a recent edition of the local newspaper, Panorama.

It read: "Iain Duncan Smith gets a hero's welcome".