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Gibraltar MEP leader of UK Tories delegation to the European Parliament

Thursday, November 27th 2014 - 06:46 UTC
Full article 28 comments

Gibraltar MEP Ashley Fox was elected this week leader of the British Conservative delegation in the European Parliament, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle. Read full article

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  • Briton

    The EU will not change,
    the out going leader has stated that point very clearly,

    he also pointed out very clearly that the unmighty EU will survive and proceed on course without the British,
    but not without the French,
    a clear saying to Cameron if any was needed , we are not wanted or welcome,
    so the sooner we leave the better, instead or trying anything to stay in..
    just a thought.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 12:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Conqueror

    In 142 years, Britain saved Europe THREE times. Why did we bother? Circumstances change but nothing can deny that France tried to subjugate Europe once and Germany tried to do it twice. And who do we allow to 'lead' the European Union? France and Germany. Who else is in the frame? Spain! As ever, incompetent and broke. Despite the reduction in forces' strength that everyone bemoans, Britain could crush spain in weeks. Britain could deploy 204 to 361 combat aircraft. Spain can manage 129. Britain can deploy 29 warships. In comparable classes, spain could manage 12. On land, Britain can deploy 116,000 combat-trained and experienced troops. The spanish army only has 75,000 personnel. Doubtful if spain could manage as many as 11,000 of the same quality. How many times has Britain defeated France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy? The FACT is that Europe is incompetent. The only time any part of it has shown any 'direction' has been when it has been under British control. What a shame that Britain didn't take the right action in 1945/6. The 'next' British Empire! Why didn't we do it? After 6 years of war, Britain was tired. We thought that Europeans would have learned. They didn't. They still haven't. Britain needs to be OUT of the EU. So that, when it all happens again, we can stand on the sidelines and watch. And laugh. Who cares what happens to Austrians, Belgians, Bulgarians, Croatians, Cypriots, Czechs, Danes, Dutch, Estonians, Finns, French, Germans, Greeks, Hungarians, Irish, Italians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Maltese, Poles, Portuguese, Romanians, Slovaks, Slovenes, spaniards and/or Swedes. All pretty useless and selfish. What is it about Britain that makes it save what isn't worth saving? What is it that makes us spend our lives? Time to let the EU go its own way without us. I can't think of a single EU thing that makes life in Britain better. But I can think of many EU things that make life in Britain worse.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 02:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Troll in The Dark

    @2

    So this this the country that lost 3 of 4 conflicts with Argentina.

    I knew the British were useless, now I have learned with the obliged Sequitur that if Argentina humiliated Britain three of four times in battle, saved it twice (once in World War I with unlimited raw materials, then in WWII with millions of pounds of Corn beef for the starving masses), yet Britain did all that to the Euros... that that Euros are doubly useless compared to Argentina.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 03:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • paulcedron

    is that pelotudo @2 drunk?
    britain was saved by europe, the u.s. and even by us argentina more than 1000 times, you imbecile.

    without the argentine food (that the uk never paid) you would be a worm right now.
    ok, you are a worm anyway.

    not to mention without those 4000 argentine soldiers who help to saved your dirty asses.

    and now those swampy islands they funnily call “great” britain, owes + 3 trillion dollars to the european union and +/- 35 k million dollars to argentina.

    pay your debts culos rotos

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 05:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • inthegutter

    #3

    How factually incorrect can you be?

    “So this this the country that lost 3 of 4 conflicts with Argentina.”

    I assume 2 of those were the repulsed invasions of Buenos Aires in 1806 and 1807. Not only did Argentina not exist then (as you well know it was part of the Spanish empire) but the UK ultimately won that wider conflict. Those invasions were a tiny sideshow within what could arguably called the first real global war. The third I assume refers to the incredibly limited Anglo-French blockade. While that was an Argentine victory it was resulted in the Arana–Southern Treaty which as we all know is additional decisive evidence that the UK legally holds sovereignty over the Falklands.

    #4

    I don't know why I bother, you are obviously too thick to understand history.

    - ”without the argentine food (that the uk never paid) you would be a worm right now.” prove that accusation.

    - yes Argentine soldiers did help fight. However, they enlisted as private citizens. We owe no debt to the state of Argentina. Moreover, the number was tiny.

    - How the hell do we owe 3 trillion to the EU? You're just making up crap as usual.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 05:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • golfcronie

    @5
    Don't bother answering the Argie trolls as they are indoctrinated since birth, their mothers would sing the Argentine Anthem whilst they were still in the womb, if thats where they came from of course.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 07:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    @5
    Paul-carrion is in full meltdown.
    Ignore.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 07:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Briton

    3 and 4 wrong wrong and wrong again,

    this time we aint going to educate you, its a waste of time..

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 07:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    Ignore the puerile, petulant fool.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 08:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Britworker

    Just some interesting facts.

    UK trade with the EU drops year on year, that is deliberate by the way. As each eurozone crisis occurs, the UK will be affected less and less. In September 2014, we imported 19.2 billion of goods from the EU and exported 12.5, that is a deficit of 6.7 billion and this deficit is growing.

    The UK is the EU's largest trading partner, they need us way WAY more than we need them. Our economy is tearing away from them and I am becoming worried about this.

    When the chips are down, I believe that the EU are likely to offer the UK literally anything to keep us inside its failing structure, we are now too large to leave without the rest of it falling apart. But we need to leave this organisation to save our sovereignty and finally secure our borders.

    The next 5 year parliament will be the most interesting and most impactive on the UK for generations.

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 10:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pete Bog

    @3

    “ So this this the country that lost 3 of 4 conflicts with Argentina.”

    Who won the most recent conflict?

    Nov 27th, 2014 - 11:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • olisipo

    THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND GIBRALTAR.

    FACT. The European Parliament has excluded Gibraltar of the European Open Skies agreement.

    FACT. The Gibraltar airport is one of the more dangerous in the world. Its flights end very often in Spain because it must be closed due to its emplacement, the crosswinds around the Rock, etc.

    FACT. Lieutenant General of the Royal Marines Richard Dutton, governor of Gibraltar, like his predecessors, has exclusive powers in (a) foreign affairs, (b) defence, (c) internal security; (d) appointment of the Police Chief, judges, etc; and (e) he can veto laws passed by the so-called local parliament.

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 11:06 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Leiard

    FACT. Gibraltar Airport is still open.

    FACT. New flight destinations for 2015.

    FACT. Gibraltar is a BOT with a civilian, elected Government that handles everything, but Defense and Foreign Affairs.

    UK-Spain dispute over Gibraltar threatens European skies reform

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/21/us-europe-airtraffic-gibraltar-idUSKCN0J51CX20141121

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 01:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • olisipo

    FACT

    “Gibraltar Constitution Order 2006”

    “Section 47” “Governor's special responsibilities”

    (1) external affairs;

    (2) defense;

    (3) internal security, including (subject to section 48) the police;

    (4) such functions in relation to appointments to public offices and related matters as are conferred on him by the Constitution.

    ”Section 48

    The Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the Governor

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 04:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    @14 olisipo

    just for you baby,

    'A State which has ceased to exercise any authority over a territory cannot, by purely verbal protestations, indefinitely maintain its title against another which for a sufficiently long time has effectively exercised the powers and fulfilled the duties of sovereignty in it,' Charles de Visscher, former president of the ICJ.

    and

    'Failure of a State to assert its right when that right is openly challenged by another State can only mean abandonment of that right' Judge Alfaro, p38 Temple of Vinear Opinion.

    Poor old S pain should have taken up the UK's offer to go to the ICJ over the sovereignty of Gibraltar, the Isthmus, airspace and territorial waters back in the 1960s. Lol

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 07:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Leiard

    @14 olisipo
    Typical, pick part of the text that suits you.

    The full text in Section 48 (3)
    The Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the Governor acting in accordance with the advice of the Gibraltar Police Authority, provided that the Governor may disregard the advice of the Gibraltar Police Authority in relation to any person where he judges that accepting that advice would prejudice Her Majesty’s service.

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 07:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • olisipo

    @ Leiard

    1) You are forgetting that I have presented the evidence that you were wrong when you said that the Gibraltar “government handles everything but Defense and Foreign Affairs”. Besides that, it doesn't handle the interior security, including the police, and the “appointment to public offices”.

    2) Section 48 is very clear. The governor “may disregard the advice of the Gibraltar Police Authority” when appointing the Commissioner.

    “A government which handles everything except defense and foreign affairs”? What a joke.

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 08:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    The only joke is on the Spanish. Gibraltar continues to be a British Overseas Territory with a GDP of approx. USD 50,000 per Capita and an unemployment rate is very low.
    Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, a well regulated international finance center, tourism, and has become a global leader in the virtual gaming industry.
    SELF-SUFFICIENT Gibraltar also benefits from offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984.
    It does not matter the intracities of the Gov, Gibraltar is an international success.

    Spain? well, Spain is now merely a beggar at the EU table...

    Who cares what 'Oily-boy' thinks, the numbers are publicly available. Spain is in such trouble that it wishes to steal the success of others in order to prop up its own failing economy and distract from internal strife.

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 10:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • olisipo

    @ 18 ilsen

    After losing the argument about the few legal fields under the control of the Gibraltar government, a change to the economy?

    Very well. Picardo has just lost his last appeal against the British law which increases from 1% to 15% the taxes that the online gambling industries in the Rock must pay. The previous situation was unfair for the British industry and people who were subsidizing that “global industry”. It is very well explained here.

    http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2013/08/17/the-uk-declares economic-warfare-on-its-gibraltar-tax-haven/

    As for the “well regulated international finance center”, guess who are the lawyers who helped Bernie Madoff to create his offshore company in the Rock where he put part of the 65 billion dollars that he stole.. It was the firm founded by Joshua Hassan, where Picardo worked during years.

    http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2013/08/17/the-uk-declares

    What a den of thieves, this “well regulated international finance centre”.

    Nov 28th, 2014 - 11:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    Olisipo Just for yo baby, 'a treaty, or any of its provisions, is void if its performance involves an act which is illegal under international law and if it is declared so by the ICJ,' (article 15 Vol II ILC Yearbook 1953, p93). In 1995 the ICJ declared the right to self-determination erga omnes (placing obligations on all States) and as a result the ILC regard it as jus cogens (compelling law). How's that return clause in Utrecht looking now? And what about Gibraltar having no territorial waters? Chuckle chuckle.

    Nov 29th, 2014 - 05:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    Hmm... so your point is what, exactly? Some criminals got caught? Got punished?
    And that you know how to find a BLOG on the Internet ?
    I find it so amusing that you Argentines believe anything and everything you read on the Internet. You can't understand the difference between an authorative news source and some random blog.
    lol!
    You are like easily led children. The level of education in Argentina must be absolutely appalling.
    Oh, you poor child paulie. How you suffer!

    Sounds better than Spain, where criminality is rife and the police are too weak, or too corrupt to make a difference.
    Gibraltar is richer than Spain, per capita.
    Gibraltar is more peaceful.
    Gibraltar is an employer of the Spanish people.
    Spain is poor and needs a good clean.

    Good luck out there!

    Nov 29th, 2014 - 09:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • olisipo

    @ ilsen

    It is evident that you don't know anything about the big problem that your “global industry” has in Gibraltar after losing two appeals against the new law on online gambling. This is from The New York Times:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/03/business/global/british-gambling-tax-annoys-many-in-gibraltar.html?_r=0

    I won't waste my time putting links on the report of the EU antifraud office, published this year, about organised crime in Gibraltar which uses your “well regulated international finance centre”

    As for “some criminals being caught”, the lawyers who aid in Gibraltar the organised crime and people like Bernie Maddoff to hide the billion dollars that he stole are free.

    BTW, you have a very poor ability to detect nationalities.

    Nov 29th, 2014 - 11:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    Spain and corruption

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/spain-global-corruption-index-political-royal-scandal

    Nov 29th, 2014 - 01:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Skip

    So all Olisipo has done is prove that Ginraltar is British.

    Not Spanish.

    Gibraltans are happy having London decide some issues than Madrid.

    Thanks for highlighting that Olisipo. No wonder the Gibraltans keep deciding to remain BRITISH.

    Nov 29th, 2014 - 06:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • olisipo

    @ 21 ilsen

    UK High Court rejects Gibraltar's appeal against he new British Online Gambling Law. Adding insult to injury, the Court orders Gibraltar to pay £100.000 as court costs.

    http://calvynaire.com/2014/10/10/business/court-rejects-gibraltar-challenge-uk-online-gambling-law/

    Nov 29th, 2014 - 08:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    @ 25 Olisipo

    Just for you,

    ICJ Ambatielos Case, UK-V-Greece 1 July 1952 - page 40

    '...the Treaty, which means all the provisions of the Treaty, shall come into force immediately upon ratification. Such a conclusion might have been rebutted if there had been any special clause or special object necessitating retroactive interpretation. There is no such clause or object in the present case. It is therefore impossible to hold that any of its provisions must be deemed to have been in force earlier.'

    There are no special clauses or provisions in UN 1514 XV Declaration on Decolonization that came into force in 1960. Therefore paragraph 6 of that resolution regarding territorial integrity is irrelevant as only the laws in force at the time of the acquisition of that territory are relevant.

    http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/15/1965.pdf

    Nov 30th, 2014 - 09:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ilsen

    @23
    The usual processes of law and business. What is your point? The Gibraltarians respect law and order but the Spanish do not.
    Is that your point!

    Dec 01st, 2014 - 05:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • olisipo

    -@ 27 ilsen

    First you write that the great harm which “your global industry” is suffering because of the new Online Gambling Law is only the view of a “random blog”, I show you that it is not true, quoting The New York Times and how Gibraltar has been humiliated by the High Court in London, and do you really ask me which is my point?

    Add the report of the European Union of the role of the organised crime in your “well regulated international finance center” to all that and you will begin to understand what is the real situation.

    Dec 01st, 2014 - 08:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0

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