The only reason that Spain is Argentina's new best friend is because they happen to be president of the UN Security Council for the next 6 months and therefore have some, albeit fleeting, influence right now.
UNSC Prezzy is a post that rotates around the members, it's got nothing to do with merit or power - just muggin's turn.

Welcome to West Sussex it's just dandy this time of year.

Sold at a grand profit. You're a legend

why do you imagine Gibraltar is sucking money from the UK ?

Gibraltar is self sufficient and the contribution from the ministry of defence (which now only accounts for 7% of the local economy) relates to the fact they occupy a large amount of land on, around and inside the rock and conducts business there. Naturally the MOD do not get something for nothing and have to pay for the services they use )..and since they have these bases there they would be idiots not to defend what they have got there as it prevents whoever wants to occupy their nuclear submarine pens under the rock just walking in when they want to. When Britain is policing it's "interests" in the Arabian peninsula etc how much money do you think they save repairing their ships in Gibraltar thus avoiding a 6 day return journey to Portsmouth.

As for the notacontrathinker's plan to hand Gibraltar independence this is a non starter unless Spain would agree to amend the Treaty of Utrecht. A lot of Catalans and Basques would be rubbing their hands in anticipation at the thought of Spain altering policy to allow this

I'd suspect that the flow from Gib to the UK is actually a net positive, rather than sucking money out of the UK. After all, Gib probably generates more GDP per capita than most of Europe, including the UK. I further suspect that's a good example of why the UK maintains so many tax havens.

So the Gib based on line gambling companies ( tax dodgers ) are a good thing for the UK economy??
Thats one way to look at it !!

Ahh, so confident, but this is where we have it all wrong. OUR taxes are much too high in the first place. This is the real problem, not companies operating legitimately in jurisdictions that choose not to impose high taxes - mainly for the benefit of their local economies (as is Gib, in this case).

Ironically, instead of acknowledging that our taxation is much too high (and taking the tough job of reducing them in the interest of improving our economy), we simply label anyone who operates in a lower tax jurisdiction as a "tax evader". The EU has been actively attempting to homogenise all EU jurisdictions to have more or less the same high tax base, and vilifies any jurisdiction offering more reasonable taxation as "uncompetitive" and "unfair".

Brilliant spin, by the way. It defers public dissatisfaction with our own oppressive taxation in favour of vilifying any jurisdiction that offers a lower tax base. And that keeps our high tax base justifiable, even though it demonstrably is delivering less and less.

Yeah, for me, I'd much rather pay through the nose and get less and less, just to teach all those "tax evaders" a lesson (as they laugh all the way to the bank, while we live with more and belt-tightening just to get by). Brilliantly Liberal thinking.

I have NEVER advocated independence for Gibraltar or handing back The Rock without the consent of the Gibraltese.

You are absolutely right that the Treaty of Utrecht would need to be amended
as Spain has first refusal of Gib in the event of the British relinquishing it.

Note also the borders claimed now by Gibraltar are not those of the 1713 treaty.

Congratulations on another house move!
Impressed that you're spending time on here - I always find moving house stressful and it takes time to get my bearings, get back to work, clean up things etc.

here here..shut them down and only gamble in the Cayman Islands. I can lend you a good bone saw if you have the desire to cut off your nose...that'll teach your face a lesson

I agree that the consent of the Gibraltese is paramount but should ii finally come down to determining the views of the native population the following should apply.
Those who have taken up residence for tax dodging, Brits , Spanish or any other nationality or those who have moved there lets say in the last 25 years should be excluded.
I wonder how many that would leave.
The Swiss have the right idea, you can live there if you have enough money but you do not have the automatic rights of Swiss born nationals.

Well I don't work and I try to get others to do things You are right though, it is stressful. The UK system of house sales and purchase needs changing, I prefer the Spanish system. Our buyer dragged the whole process out for 3 months even though there was no chain

Anyway, have been moved a while now!

That's what the UK should be doing with the Roma and all the other flotsam from the EU

Thats is what we do, they do not have the right to vote.
The problem in the Uk is that many employers of temporary or unskilled labour in the construction industry prefer foreeign workers.
One employer on a site in canary wharf interviewed on TV gave as his reason for employing Roumanians was that they arrive on time, every day, stay for as long as is needed and do not complain.
Much of his temporay UK labour only lasts for a few days.
If there was not a demand for them why would they come.

The Roma etc. come to be self employed like selling the Big Issue which opens the door for a whole range of benefits housing benefit etc.

Jacky, on this particular subject I rarely disagree with you BUT the Roma are recognised as a race and are included as a minority.
However they are totally different from the Underhanded Spineless Scum that call themselves "travellers"


I believe there are still some people around who are officially Displaced, having no documents, etc from WWII and one or two other little dustups since then

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