A ‘PURIST’ interpretation of Brexit would represent a threat to Gibraltar which could make the Rock a “sitting duck” for Spain, Boris Johnson has been told.
The warning was issued by a Gibraltar Government spokesman in the wake of comments by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, chairman of the British Overseas Territories All Party Parliamentary Group, who said Gibraltar needed to stick as closely to UK rules as possible rather than seeking separate ties with the EU. Madrid continues to press its historical claim over Gibraltar, which has been in British hands since 1713.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper El Pais, unnamed sources last week claimed one of the ideas being explored was for Gibraltar to join the bloc’s Customs Union or the Schengen passport-free area.
In the 2016 referendum, Gibraltar – led by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo – overwhelmingly backed Remain – but Gibraltarians have also backed retention of their links with the UK in two separate referendums.
Express.co.uk understands there is a general belief within the Gibraltarian government that any attempt to negotiate a one-size-fits-all trade deal which takes no account of Gibraltar’s unique situation would be highly risky.
The spokesman told Express.co.uk: “In the 48 years we have been members of the EU, we have had a different type of membership to the UK.
“Now, as we leave with Britain, we expect we will also benefit from a differentiated solution.
“It is therefore wrong to suggest a differentiated solution would somehow cleave us apart from Britain, when the evidence of the past half century demonstrates the opposite.”
It was precisely by having a solution which guaranteed Gibraltar’s economic stability which would enable the Rock to remain strongly British, the spokesman stressed.
He added: “If insisting on a purist interpretation of Brexit means we fail economically – as we could if we lose mobility at our frontier etc – then we could becoming a sitting duck.”
Emphasising the work being done behind the scenes by the UK’s chief negotiator David Frost, the spokesman said: “The Gibraltar and British Governments are therefore carefully working to ensure we have a tailor made solution for Gibraltar which delivers our economic stability and strengthens our Britishness going forward.
“The alternative – a total, purist, Brexit that leads to an almost inevitable economic collapse by making Gibraltar unviable – would leave us sitting ducks for Spain and would mean that the Brexiteers will have unwittingly done the bidding of the Spanish hawks.”
Referring to far-right Spanish political parties pushing to reclaim the Rock, he said: “That is what we will ensure we avoid so that the PP and Vox never succeed in their dreams of taking the sovereignty of the Rock.
“With a differentiated solution – as all parties in Gibraltar’s Parliament have advocated for the past four years since the referendum – we guarantee a British Gibraltar.”
Speaking earlier this week, Mr Rosindell, MP for Romford in Essex, told Express.co.uk: “The Spanish will use the EU to try to exclude Gibraltar from agreements with the UK, there is no doubt about that, this is what they do.
“The government in Gibraltar is pro-EU, although they are also totally dedicated to remaining British and will put that before any ties with the EU.”
He added: “Personally, I cannot see how Gibraltar could have any kind of separate ties with the EU, separate from the UK.
“This would be a dangerous road for Gibraltar to go down.
“They should in my view, stick as closely to Britain as possible.
“Without Britain, Gibraltar would be Spanish, so Gibraltarians will be highly suspicious of anything that weakens the links they have with the UK.”
