Laurence Dollimore
SPANISH foreign minister Alfonso Dastis has chimed in on the Gibraltar row and called for the UK to calm down.
Over the weekend, former conservative party leader Lord Michael Howard likened the situation to the Falklands, and implied that Theresa May would be willing to go to war over the Rock. Dastis replied to the comments this morning, saying: “Comparing Gibraltar with the Falklands is taking things out of context.
“It looks like someone in the UK is losing their composure.”
During a press conference, Dasist called for calm.
“The Spanish government is a little surprised by the tone of comments coming out of Britain, a country known for its composure,” he said.
Lord Michael Howard had said May would use the ‘same resolve’ as Margaret Thatcher did over the Falklands.
He told the Sophy Ridge show on Sky News: “There’s no question whatever that our government will stand by Gibraltar.
“Thirty-five years ago this week another woman prime min
ister sent a task force half way across the world to defend the freedom of another small group of British people against another Spanish speaking country.
“And I’m absolutely certain that our current prime minister will show the same resolve in standing by the people of Gibraltar.”
The ensuing row led to Theresa May personally calling Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.
She promised that the UK will ‘never enter into arrangements’ on sovereignty against its will.
No 10 said she ‘reiterated our long-standing position that the UK remains steadfastly committed to our support for Gibraltar, its people and its economy’.
And Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon promised Gibraltar it will be ‘protected all the way’ through the Brexit talks.
Micheal Howard can be safely ignored. His judgement is always faulty. This is the man who, as Home Secretary, claimed “prison works!”. The prison population of Britain then doubled, leading to riots, suicides, a thriving drug-culture, privatisation on poor pay, encouraging prison officer corruption.
Some legacy.
Just what “protection” does Micheal Fallon propose? Gunboats? The reality is that the Tories and Brexiteers will happily sell Gibraltar down the river in an effort to justify their stupidity, hoping to gain some mythical trade advantage.
Gird your loins Gib. dwellers. The faeces approaches the fan.
It was about time Britain stood up and made themselves clear regarding GIB. One threat from the UK against the many threats (not bad) from the EU setting a slight panic at the mention of a possible war footing with Spain.. It’s a pity that Alfonso Dastis, the Spanish foreign minister was not informed prior to the statement being made to the EU which has nothing to do with the EU. This is a international agreement, a treaty signed in Seville in 1729 handing sovereignty to Britain and the EU has overstepped their authority once again. Perhaps Spain will now accept the resolve of the British government when it comes to GIB and Alfonso should calm his own people down not the UK.
The territory of Gibraltar is classed as part of the UK (at the moment) and any dealings with the EU will include GIB if not the UK will just walk away. Spain should also consider the loss to their economy if they start this border blocking business again which would also affect the 9000 or so of workforce crossing the border each day for work which would increase and add to the 40% already on the dole in the La Linea area.
The Disunited Kingdom is the laughing stock of the world.
They are not only a bunch of brainless warmongers, but also imbecile enough not to understand a resolution.
Anyway the funniest part is that this old fart wants to declare war with THIS kind of armament:
“PM ‘unaware’ that Britain currently has NO working hunter-killer attack submarines (let’s hope nobody’s told Mr Putin either)
Royal Navy currently has no ‘hunter-killer’ attack submarines on active duty”
“Royal Navy risks having ‘pathetically low total’ of ships, warn MPs”
Brexit was bad enough but to now have right wing nutters in the UK threatening war with a NATO ally over a hypothetical situation beggars belief. Spain has said repeatedly since the referendum in the UK that it wants a continued good partnership with the UK and for UK citizens to remain in Spain under the same conditions that they now enjoy and likewise for Spanish citizens in the UK. British Tory politicians seem to want to make the UK billy no mates and it’s time that their ultimate motives are examined because they are not acting like a rational developed government should. Time to get some wise counsel instead of Paul Dacre of the Daily Mail.
Before quoting the treaty you should read it! The treaty talks about the fort, the city and waters as far as the canons reach. Nothing said about the entire rock or the land where the airport is now, which was stolen from the Spanish in 1920 abusing the help of the Spanish in the fever that had struck the city!
Wrong
“the full and entire propriety of the town and castle of Gibraltar, together with the port, fortifications, and forts”
Fortifications at that time were in the current position of the frontier. Sorry to poo on your barbeque
“Brexit means brexit”, wasn’t it?
Ok, then: let’s brexit !! ;)
This unseemly haste to plump for a “hard Brexit” betrays the fear that leavers have. As time goes by, it will become mightily apparent that a huge mistake has been made and the U-turn will begin. So of course, the swivel-eyed will have to face their wilful stupidity and wipe their mouths. That’s why they’re on the hurry-up.
Brexit is already in self destruct mode and A50 was only triggered a week ago. The swivel eyed brigade face an uphill struggle and cannot deliver anything like a workable deal and they know it. They won the referendum on the back of a pack of lies but they would not win a second referendum. That’s why they are still angry and shouting, they feel under threat and time is not on their side. Once the relocations and job losses kick in, they are toast.
The odds are stacked against the Brexiteers and their only hope is that the EU/Euro collapses, what else have they got?
stefanjo, I feel very sorry for you due to your complete animosity towards the will of the British people in voting to leave the EU. I take it by your stance you must also be against demoracy in which case the simple answer to your dying love towards the EU is to give up your British Nationality and apply for a Spanish one and all your sleepless nights and problems will be solved. Mind you, don’t know how you will fare once the EU collapses, in fact I would go one step further and pass a law stating that all British nationals that have changed nationality cannot re-claim British nationality again. Simple really. lol