British taxpayers were left with a bill of over £3.4m following the collision off Gibraltar last year between a Royal Navy submarine and a merchant ship. HMS Ambush, one of Britain’s new Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines, sustained damage to its conning tower during a glancing collision with a chemical tanker while submerged in international waters 3.3 nautical miles off Gibraltar.
Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alfonso Dastis, will visit the Campo de Gibraltar in September to discuss the impact of Brexit on cross-border workers and the wider region. The forthcoming visit was announced late Thursday night following a meeting in Madrid between the minister and officials from the Campo.
UK and Gibraltar will establish a mechanism to ensure Gibraltar is consulted on any trade agreements negotiated by Britain outside the EU, both governments said in a joint statement.
Spain’s “eccentric” enclaves in north Africa make its position on Gibraltar “incomprehensible”, said Tory MP Dominic Grieve reaffirming UK’s commitment to stand by Gibraltar after Brexit. Speaking during a visit to Gibraltar, MP Grieve said any future Brexit deal struck by the UK with the EU must also include the Rock.
The comment about Gibraltar made by the King of Spain in his address in Westminster Hall places the focus on bilateral dialogue between London and Madrid as the way forward to address Spain's differences with the UK over the Decolonization of Gibraltar.
A flag of Gibraltar (and Falkland Islands) was on display outside the Houses of Parliament as King Felipe of Spain arrived in London for his state visit. The red-and-white banner, bearing a red castle and golden key, was placed at the centre of a row of flags of the British overseas territories and dependencies in Parliament Square.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on Wednesday formally welcomed the King of Spain to the UK with a military spectacle full of pomp and pageantry. Britain’s head of state and Philip warmly shook hands with King Felipe VI and his wife, Queen Letizia, at Horse Guards Parade, Henry VIII’s former jousting yard.
The European Commission has made clear that Gibraltar is part of the Brexit withdrawal negotiations and that Spain’s additional veto only applies in respect of the UK’s future arrangements with the EU.
Delegations of the Gibraltar and United Kingdom Governments have met in Gibraltar on Friday for a full day of discussions covering a wide range of issues.
Gibraltar will switch the EU flag for the Commonwealth flag as it seeks to forge “strong and enduring” trade relationships around the world after Brexit, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said. The Chief Minister was speaking at the opening of a conference focusing on Brexit and the importance of the Commonwealth to the UK and Gibraltar’s futures.