The GSD rejects the attempt by Spain to hijack the European Council over Gibraltar

The GSD rejects the attempt by Spain to hijack the European Council over Gibraltar or to make triumphalist statements about our future or as to what has been agreed. The UK Govt now needs to make clear what private discussions there have been with Mr Sanchez to justify his latest statements

The   letter of the UK (Tim Barrow) to the EU on article 184 of the draft Withdrawal Agreement shows that we must remain very vigilant as to our involvement and role in negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU. Future beneficial agreements should – if Gibraltar wishes – apply to Gibraltar and we cannot be excluded or subjected to bilateral side deals with Spain.

Nothing in the UK’s letter justifies Spain saying it has been agreed that Art 184 will not apply to Gibraltar and if anything else has been said to Spain by the UK this should be made clear. We welcome the statement in the UK’s letter that they will include Gibraltar in negotiations on the future relationship.

GSD leader keith azopardi said: “there is no place for subjecting our rights as a people or our inclusion in the negotiations on a future relationship with the EU to bilateral discussions between the UK and Spain. This is unacceptable in principle and if Spain makes the mistake of seeking to pursue sovereignty ambitions in the context of future negotiations with the EU then it will simply receive the clear and resounding answer of the people of Gibraltar that we reject those ambitions again.””

There must  be nothing in the political declaration that accompanies the Withdrawal Agreement or amendment to the Withdrawal Agreement itself that goes beyond the text of the letter of the UK to the EU or suggests that art 184 does not apply to Gibraltar or that future negotiations are subject to bilateral agreement between UK and Spain. “