Spain and Britain on Monday signed a fiscal treaty on Gibraltar as Brexit nears to fight tax fraud and money laundering via the British overseas territory. Hailed as massively significant by Gibraltar's leader, Fabian Picardo, it was signed separately by Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell and David Lidington, Prime Minister Theresa May's effective deputy.
Brexit must make us think anew and refresh Gibraltar’s relationship with the UK. It is time for the Rock to have a Member of Parliament, writes MP Craig Mackinlay (*) The Overseas Territory that now sits in a unique constitutional position post-Brexit is Gibraltar.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel García-Margallo has expressed confidence that Madrid would win a legal case over jurisdiction of Gibraltar’s isthmus, though he was less certain about success in any challenge over the waters. He said the isthmus was not ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht and “illegally” occupied, but that Spain had yet to decide whether to “legally reclaim it or not”.
The following column was published on Tuesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal displaying the Spanish position in the current dispute with Gibraltar and the border controls.
The column is credited to Jose Manuel García-Margallo who is Spain’s Foreign minister.
An editorial entitled ‘Spain should respect Gibraltarians’ wish to be ruled from Britain’ The Times on Tuesday sent one of its firmest views expressed in recent decades calling on Spain to form their policies around the concept of consent.
Gibraltar will commemorate, not celebrate the 300 year old Treaty of Utrecht this year, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, told members of the Fabian Society in London earlier this week. The treaty refers to the cession in perpetuity by Spain to the British Crown of Gibraltar in 1713 under Article X of the agreement which put an end to the War of Spanish Succession (1701/1714)
Gibraltar must remain steadfast in its own position on sovereignty the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has made clear. In a wide-ranging New Year message broadcast last week on GBC Mr Picardo took up the recent remarks made by Spain’s ruling party (Partido Popular) and urged them to return to tripartite dialogue as the (opposition) PSOE in Andalucia is also urging.
Spain made a calm but classic contribution before the United Nations Decolonization Committee (C24) last week defending territorial integrity arguments but also warning the Committee not to de-list Gibraltar without sticking to the current UN criteria.