MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Labor reiterates in Manchester pledge to Gibraltar sovereignty

Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter Caruana exchanged greetings with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the Labour conference this week just moments after Minister for Europe Jim Murphy reiterated the UK Government pledge to Gibraltarians on sovereignty.

Speaking at the Gibraltar Government reception at the Labour Party conference in Manchester, Mr Murphy stressed the firm message in the UK commitment, "never to enter into an agreement on Gibraltar's sovereignty without the prior consent of the people of Gibraltar". According to the Gibraltar Chronicle Mr. Murphy said that he was in Gibraltar's case using the word 'never', even though it was a word rarely used in politics, precisely because he wanted to emphasize the firmness of the UK Government's commitment to Gibraltar. He went further:" …more than that, we would not even enter into discussions without the prior consent of the people of Gibraltar". The pledge has been reiterated by Mr Murphy when he spoke at Gibraltar Day in London last year and again, at a higher level, by Foreign Secretary David Miliband at the London Tripartite (Gibraltar, UK, Spain) talks this July in front of his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos. Last Sunday the new Constitution and the Tripartite forum were highlighted by the UK Minister as being indicative of progress on Gibraltar's part over the last few years. Mr Murphy jokingly remarked that having secured four terms of office, Peter Caruana might be able to provide some useful tips to Labour at this juncture. It was on the constitution and on the new non-colonial relationship with the UK Government and the close working relationship between both governments at the moment that Gibraltar Chief Minister dwelt upon in his own speech. Referring to the current problems afflicting the international economic climate, Mr Caruana said that in times like this, small countries had to rely on larger countries such as the US and the UK to provide leadership and he remarked that this had started to emanate from the UK Government over the past few days. Mr Caruana and Mr Brown took the opportunity to greet each other, warmly shaking hands and exchanging a few words when they met in the hallway of their hotel as the Prime Minister made his way to the conference hall just after the Gibraltar Government reception last Sunday evening.