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Lord Hague warns Brexit could put at risk Falklands' sovereignty and cautions about UK “disintegration”
Former foreign secretary William Hague said that if Britain votes to leave the European Union, the Falkland Islands sovereignty could be put at risk, while Gibraltar would left in a very difficult position. The statement was published this week by The Telegraph in an article under the heading: “Brexit would put the Falkland Islands' sovereignty at risk” Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesBreak up of UK, end of Gibraltar, end of Falklands, the world economy will go into deccline, Russia will attack Europe, UKs influence in the world will diminish, the EU will stop trading with the UK
Jun 09th, 2016 - 11:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0The IN crowd have missed out ebola and zombies.
Slight problems with Hague's arguments.
Jun 09th, 2016 - 11:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0How did Britain's overseas territories get on before Britain joined the EEC? The answer is: Very well. We did a lot of trade with them. In fact, we do less trade with them now. But they've found other ways.
How did Gibraltar get on pre-EEC when Franco closed the frontier? Don't recall Gibraltar closing down. But I'll make a suggestion that I've made before. If the Government of Gibraltar were to invest in fleets of, relatively, small aircraft and sea-going high speed catamaran ferries, it could set up links with suitable North African countries like Morocco. By air or sea, just how quick would the trip be? It's 37 miles.
In terms of distance, the Falklands is a bit different. But when we needed to get there, we got there. And it's not as difficult as it used to be. We have the aircraft to cover the distance in one flight and less than 24 hours.
People always get frightened by something new or different. But leaving the EU is an opportunity. People just need to work at it. No more EU rules to have to comply with. The EU goes on about its “four freedoms” but what are those freedoms? Free to travel freely. Except you still have to have valid documents. Some countries may not do checks at the border. They do them on the street instead. Freedom to live where you want. Whether you've got a job or not. So that includes the freedom to claim benefits and housing wherever. The other “freedoms” are about goods and services. Totally free, except for the documentation and taxes.
In return for those “freedoms” we gave up our right to make and live by the laws we want. That are particularly suited to us. We gave up our right to make trade agreements that we want on terms that suit us. Take the EU-Mercosur trade talks. For the time being, beef is off the table. But that's a last minute thing. Certain south american countries were rubbing their hands as they contemplated shipping millions of tons of rubbish.
**** Breaking News **** Breaking News **** Breaking News ****
Jun 09th, 2016 - 12:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It has been officially announced by ‘experts’ that if the UK leaves the EC then there will be a massive increase in sunspot activity which will cause an electro-magnetic pulse which will destroy all the worlds computers!!!!
Seriously though folks:- after the RoI rejected the Treaty of Lisbon in a referendum the Government got some concessions from the EC and re-ran the referendum using exactly the same scare tactics that are being used in the UK. ‘Experts’ announced that if we didn’t approve the ToL then the Irish economy would collapse, the value of houses would halve, Irish banks would collapse taking our savings with them etc. etc.
So, properly chastened the Irish public voted massively in favour of the ToL and what happened – the Irish economy collapsed, house values halved (and have still nowhere near recovered leaving tens of thousands of families in equity traps) and the Irish banks very nearly collapsed. If not for our friends across the water giving us an immediate ten billion euro loan with no strings attached God only knows what would have happened especially as the ECB, IMF etc didn’t want to know unless the Irish government allowed us to be ‘Greeked’ which they did….
Additional thoughts:-
Economics is like astrology but without the certainty of planetary motion.
Definition of ‘expert’ – ‘ex’ is a has been and a ‘spert’ is a drip under pressure
‘Call me Dave’ have you ever heard of the story of the boy who cried wolf?
We in Gibraltar will always remain loyal to our Queen and UK as we have been these 300 years (in or out of the EU) but we would hate to have to depend on handouts from the UK taxpayers hard earned money if things go wrong and at the moment our GDP is something to be envied by the the rest of the world especially sPain
Jun 09th, 2016 - 03:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0A truly well-researched piece of reporting: Who is this “Lord Hague”?
Jun 09th, 2016 - 05:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@2
Jun 09th, 2016 - 05:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You better take care over the Islamists who are now a majority in many neighborhoods of several cities in the UK. The irony would be that you are more concerned about the “rights” of the islanders and Gibraltarians be ruled directly by the British metropolis that the Islamist domain, and control, of the streets, and daily life, of London and other British cities.
You could end up making fun, and verbally assaulting, of Argentines and Spaniards but have to wear burka when going out from home and look to Mecca several times a day in the British territory.
Remember, the world is changing and a veteran like you won't be able to easilt adapt to reading the Koran and speacking the Arabic language.
At least in Argentine there are almost no muslims and just a couple of mosques in the whole territory.
In a near future the World will consider the United Kingdom as an “arabic country”....Would you immagine?
#6
Jun 09th, 2016 - 05:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You do talk a load of crap !!
@6 700,000 muslims is not really almost none. You have the largest Mosque in South America in Buenos Aires and a fine looking building it is too. Why are you so scared of muslims? Could it be you are confusing them with terrorist groups? A lot of uneducated people do that so you are not alone.
Jun 09th, 2016 - 05:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I've got some more about the “guaranteed solidarity of 28 nations”. Could someone list the Belgian, Dutch, French, German, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish warships and troops that joined the 1982 Task Force? Didn't the Blessed Margaret actually have to threaten the French before they handed over details of the Exocets? I wonder what she had to threaten to launch a nuke at?
Jun 09th, 2016 - 06:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@4. But is your “loyalty” in question? Mr Picardo has made a number of comments about the benefits of EU membership for Gibraltar. I can understand that. BUT, how many of your compatriots believe that 65 million Brits should give up their freedom for the sake of 30,000 Gibraltarians? Over a thousand years, not just your 300, we have done without Europe. In fact, we kicked the Spanish off so you could have your Rock. In real terms, we gave you where you live. Could you spend some time going out into the Mediterranean and turning migrant boats back? Could you arm all your boats and fight back against the Spanish yourselves? I ask you to, quite honestly, list what you have given us and what we have given you. When the Spanish put you under siege, how many British seamen and soldiers died for your protection? We used Gibraltar during WW2, but we protected you as well. Don't make any mistake. You have a right to self-determination. And we will protect that until you decide you are better off in the EU. Can you not make as much money trading with North Africa? Have you tried? Because it seems to me that anyone wanting to cross to Tangier has to rely on the Spanish. By all means be loyal if you wish. But, for your own sakes, be innovative and productive as well.
@6. Out of the EU means muslims should watch out. Certain neighbourhoods could be depopulated in almost no time. Maybe the current government has no credibility and needs to go. While the people clean things up!
@9. You are wrong about having to rely on Spain to get to tangier, we have direct flights and ferries between Gibraltar and Morroco, I don't expect anyone to give up their freedom for us, that would be selfish but you can't expect us to agree with the brexit campaign when about 50% of UK people will probably vote to stay in, does that make them any less patriotic or less british than you? don't think for a minute that I like the EU cause I don't but i'll give you an example, Spain has been trying to strangle our economy for years by which our economy has suffered even though it is so strong that we have done well even with their anti gibraltar economy campaign, I will not get into what the UK has done as I will not give ammunition to Spaniards or argentinians but all i can say is that you have to realise that we don't want to be a burden to the UK taxpayer, all the years the frontier was closed during franco's dictatorship we lived from UK MOD and UK Gov aid to which the UK taxpayer where not very happy about and I could understand them, I worked in the HM dockyard at the time and the UK based civilians would complain about it. anyway IN or OUT we will survive as we have always done, and we will go back to trading with morroco as we used to do in Franco's time.
Jun 09th, 2016 - 06:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Lord Hague , major and Blair, what a trio of brilliant twats to say the least,
Jun 09th, 2016 - 07:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0they use threats and get everybody's backs up,
it is they who are inciting trouble and giving ammunition to nationalist groups
all three should shut up, but the EU or Cameron will no doubt reward there treachery.
“The guaranteed solidarity of 28 nations, including those with strong historic links to Latin America, over British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands would be lost”
Jun 09th, 2016 - 09:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0OK, Spanish firms buy licences off the FIG but I haven't noticed the Spanish being particularly vociferous in supporting the Falkland Islanders.
“Gibraltar in particularly would be left in a very difficult position, with no remaining obligations for Spain to maintain an open border,” he said.”
So grow a pair and retaliate by expressing support for Catalonian independence then.
If Spain lose Catalonia, that will hit their economy like an express train, so I doubt they will be spending much time with Gibraltar.
If Spain close the border, how many Spaniards lose their jobs?
Also, UK supermarkets are stuffed with Spanish tomatoes all grown in Southern Spain (apart from those from Morrocco.
If the UK stop buying Spanish tomatoes, the economy of Southern Spain will be hit , badly.
Will those tomatoes have added tariffs if we leave the EU?
I think Hague has been infected by the Argentine surrender monkey virus.
The Falkland Islander's right to self determination was still as strong pre EEC 1973, even though the UK wanted rid, the self determination factor still prevented a handover by Mr Gannex and Honey Monster Heath. And the worst form of betrayal proposed by Ridley was during the early 1980s, when we were in the EEC.
Another thing with Spain-if they kick off against Gibraltar all the UK has to do id grow a pair and support Morroco's claim to Ceuta and Melila.
Why are some politicians spineless?
Did we abandon the Falklands when it appeared to the rest of the world they could not be recovered?
Scotland could hold another referendum, and gain independence.
But who is their biggest trading partner? How long would England/rest of UK place defence contracts in Scotland?
If Scotland joined the EU, would the EU bail them out, if The rest of the UK left the EU, without UK's contributions?
Who says that Scotland would “demand” a referendum if the UK left the EU ?
Jun 09th, 2016 - 10:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The SNP do not have a majority in the Scottish parliament and what makes YOU think that the other parties would agree, and more to the point, what makes you think that the majority of the population of Scotland would back another vote for independence. Pure speculation now taken as a fact by people who do not live here and believe the crap peddled by the newspapers.
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