Fredbargate

NATO MUST act on Gibraltar: MPs demand CRACKDOWN on ‘provocative’ Spain exploiting Brexit

They draw Mr Stoltenberg’s attention to “constant unlawful incursions” of Spanish state boats into British waters off Gibraltar; the refusal of Madrid to allow US Naval ships to dock in the UK territory; and RAF aircraft being forced to make roundabout journeys into and out of Gibraltar in order to avoid Spanish airspace.

The MPs also highlight how Madrid has allowed Russian warships to refuel at a port just 19 miles from the Rock, as well as the Spanish government’s “ongoing verbal threats against Gibraltar”.

NATO MUST act on Gibraltar: MPs demand CRACKDOWN on ‘provocative’ Spain exploiting Brexit | Politics | News | Daily Express

Fredbargate

the government in Madrid needs to decide whether its argument on Gibraltar is essentially political or legal in nature. He said it cannot be both.

Sir Peter said the place where civilized people solve legal disputes is in the court of law and Gibraltar is willing to go down that route but Spain isn’t. If on the other hand Spain decides Gibraltar is a political problem, then as a western democracy in the 21st century she has to apply democratic principles to handling it. That excludes imposing things on people against their will.

GBC - Gibraltar News - GBC TV and Radio Gibraltar

Fredbargate

A GROUP of Conservative MP’s have warned the Secretary General of NATO of Spain’s behaviour towards Gibraltar.

Spain’s actions risk incident in Gibraltar and are a ‘threat to British security’, MPs warn NATO | Olive Press News Spain

Fredbargate

Mr Franco told GBC La Linea’s economy depends entirely on Gibraltar’s, highlighting that over 10,000 people live there, and work on the Rock

The Mayor highlights that 9,000 people are unemployed in La Linea. He said, economically, La Linea depends entirely on Gibraltar

GBC - Gibraltar News - GBC TV and Radio Gibraltar

Fredbargate

THERESA MAY has been advised to send Royal Navy warships to Gibraltar to ‘protect it from Spain’ during Brexit negotiations.

Former Ministry of Defence special adviser Luke Coffey said it is necessary to stave off Spain’s plans for joint sovereignty of the Rock.

Britain should send warships to Gibraltar to ‘protect it from Spain’, government advised | Olive Press News Spain

Fredbargate

Spain’s response to Brexit should focus on people and the economy, not on Gibraltar’s sovereignty, the vice president of the Junta de Andalucia said yesterday.

Junta highlights Brexit impact on Andalucia – Gibraltar Chronicle

lucilastic

,My home town is Portsmouth,I worked as a civilian clerk on HMS Victory when I left school.I believe our last warship"Ark Royal" is now in Asia providing tin cans for the global market.Some years ago Mr.Cameron instigated that Spanish banks were about to close our accounts & he was planning to send"a warship"to return us hapless ex-pats, back to safe haven in UK.As most of us had no home there to return to,perhaps we were to bivouac on Salisbury Plain.Having served in the WRAF that did not faze me.However I could well be waiting on Benidorm beach yet with my bocadillo & aqua sin gas as it didn`t happen.Could Mrs.May/Maynot be repeating this scenario?

MikeJ

Don't remember that incident. AFAIR the only time Cameron planned to send the Navy to Spain was during the flying crisis when Eyjafjallajökull erupted and holidaymakers couldn't get back home.

lucilastic

Maybe it wasn`t reported in your local paper.It was 2013.I actually believed what our Govn. was saying & cancelled a bank bond I had with a Spanish bank thereby forfeiting the interest of course.My sister in Hampshire phoned me & said that I must come back & stay with her.She has always thought that anyone who leaves the British Isles needs help.But retiring after 18 years of running a successful business(despite Spanish bureaucracy)I think I`ve got the hang of surviving abroad.

MikeJ

You tickled my curiosity. I wonder if you could provide a reference. The only thing that I can find is that in 2013 (the 300 anniversary of the Treaty of Utrecht of course) there were some diplomatic spats with Spain which include Rajoy lying over an agreement he had supposedly had with Cameron to ease restrictions on the Gibraltar border. By coincidence at the same time Operation Cougar - which is a regular event for the RN - stopped off in Gibraltar on the way to the mid-East. The redtops blew this up into a show of force - something it wasn't, could you imagine the UK using military force against Spain, a fellow member of NATO?

Fredbargate

I believe it was the failure to sanction this that lead to the last Governor resigning.

Governor of Gibraltar resigns over 'frustration' at purely ceremonial role - Telegraph

lucilastic

MikeJ, I may have got that year wrong,having looked back at my bank paperwork.It was perhaps earlier 2011.I remember we,particularly pensioners,being concerned as our British pension is paid into Spain & the Spanish banks were getting a lot of very bad press.It was a field day for the British media as it took attention away from what was happening in British banks too.I have an account in Gib.but the Spanish bank(still is)was offering a higher interest,so much as we would like to support sterling even though it is helping the Gib.economy,not our home country,it was sensible to bank in Spain.And in fairness,I did earn my savings here.However we were constantly being told how bad things would become during the recession.In fact people just returned to Uk in great numbers.At this moment it feels like history repeating itself.After 30 years here I would dread having to do so.I wouldn`t know how to handle which day I had to put out those ghastly rubbish bins outside houses.No,I cannot imagine there would be a military standoff with Spain.I lived many years in Scotland,married to a Scot,& believe there is trouble afoot there possibly.If Trident has to go from Faslane,I think there are only 2 suitable deep water harbours-Falklands & Gibraltar.Spain is a non-nuclear member of Nato & won`t tolerate it on their border,especially after that debacle recently with the nuclear powered sub.That incident neatly deflected attention from Sr.Rajoy`s trouble here!

Gordon Barlow

Hey, Fred. This news from Cricinfo is not good. Fancy the Gibs getting thrashed by the Germans! Well, I use the term "Germans" loosely, but still... Looking at the German bowling line-up, we can see why Mrs Merkel is so keen on immigrants from the Middle East!
GER 82/2 (15.4 ov, A Sarma 41*, D Weston 1*, MO Bacarese 0/17) - Match over | Live Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

Fredbargate

Gordon I believe there is to be a new world championship sports event

Pass the Cigarette Carton

Gibraltar will certainly win with Spain RECEIVING 2nd prize.

jimenato

Let's hope for a 'soft Brexit' (whatever on earth that means).

Gibraltar faces 'existential threat' to its economy if there's a 'hard Brexit' deal, its chief minister warns | UK | News | The Independent