Laurence Dollimore
THE UK sent a nuclear submarine to Gibraltar yesterday in a show of force against Spain.
The move was seen as a response to the Spanish who, emboldened by the shock Brexit result, had demanded joint sovereignty over the Rock on the very same day.
It was Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo who said Brexit meant a “complete change of outlook” over the ‘disputed’ territory.
Mr Garcia-Margallo said: “It’s a complete change of outlook that opens up new possibilities on Gibraltar not seen for a very long time.
“I hope the formula of co-sovereignty – to be clear, the Spanish flag on the Rock – is much closer than before.”
Mere hours later, the attack submarine HMS Ambush, armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, arrived at Gibraltar’s naval port.
Insiders said the arrival sent a clear signal that the UK will never negotiate the Rock’s sovereignty.
A source said: “The timing could not be better, the people of Gibraltar are being a sent a clear message of reassurance.
“There will be no discussion on joint sovereignty – the UK Government has made that clear.”
While the visit had long been planned, Navy insiders reportedly said the timing proved ‘interesting’.
Whilst I believe in Gibraltars status and I wanted to remain in the EU this is totally unnecessary, if it had been a long planned visit it should have been cancelled given we have just had a referendum in the UK and Spanish national elections today. Even the leave side say they want to maintaintain good relations with our European neighbours this is not the way to do it. Only the acting foreign minister of Spain has made any comments about Gibraltar, Rajoys comments have been reassuring to ex pats. British politicians really are d*** heads these days.
Remember when we won the Noble Peace Prize for peace in Europe? Now we have a Nuclear Weapon pointed at Spain on the day of Spanish elections to prevent Spain from thinking of taking back their country. Nice.
It’s a nuclear submarine, but carries only conventional weapons. Spain has no qualms about allowing Putin to service his subs within spitting distance of Gib. in their illegal colonies in North Africa.
Que diferencia?
Spanish possesion in North Africa never was colonies. This cities are part of Spanish motherland in the same way than Sevilla Madrid, Granada o Ferrol. Spanish Africa never was in list of UN. Gibraltar still being there. This is the main difference.
Call them what you want s, they still welcome the dictator Putin’s submarines. You can’t be so obtuse to think I was asking the difference between Spain’s unwelcome presence in Africa and Gib’s unwelcome (for you) presence in Spain.
As you very well know, I referred to the relative presence of submarines.
Stefanjo
Putin is the president of a friend nation.
It’s only in 1492 that spain took over the north african colonies; so you want GB to give you The Gibraltar terretory while you refuse to turn back the north african cities to Morocco, what an irony?
Mauricio
You are mixing diferents issues.
Mauricio:
UNO has pronounced about the decolozitaion of Gibraltar.
Ceuta and Melilla are not colonies and nobody have spoken respect the independence of these.
do not buy british products anymore
I’ve cancelled my Rolls Royce order.
this is hugely irresponsible of the media. for one if it was planned it should not be cancelled, for two it is not provocative to an eu member and partner… that’s unthinkable. This isn’t 1600’s!!!!
Good,about time we stood up to the arrogant spanish bully boys.Did anyone read about how the idiot spanish authorities tried to disrupt a US nuclear sub entering Gib in intl waters.Yet another home goal from spain.
A war ship, a plane,etc. docked in a port only some hundred meters of another country do not suposse any threat for this country. Only implies an evident risk for the civil population living in the proximities.
Turn back ceuta and melila to Morocco if you want to leigitimise your claim of Gibraltar , you see ?
Portugal want also da city of Olivença (Olivenza) back from Spain.
Luis
The issue is that Gibraltar must be decolonised acording of UNO mandate.. It is not the case of Olivenza.
In my opinion Portugal and Spain must merge in an only state, because his peoples are brothers.
The Portuguese certainly don’t feel that way. II met no one in favor of even closer relation in the 18 years I lived there. Portuguese are much more open to strangers and less aggressive.
Let’s kick out all the Aryan savages that invaded Al-Andaluz and hand back the peninsular to the Semitic peoples that treated the land with respect, unlike the Christian morons that cut down all the forests. Their food was also far superior. It makes me laugh when I see ‘Spanish’ recipes that in fact came from the Mahgreb. Their system of building was far superior as well, specifically designed to combat the climate unlike the rubbish built apartment blocks put up today. Leave Gibralter alone and evict the Aryans from the mainland – a much more sensible idea.
Stuart
Is a fact that the desforestation of Almeria began during the arabic domination.
Two major causes of deforestation in the Mediterranean area employed variously by different groups have been:
1. Cutting trees for ships or other big construction projects; equally important,
2. Letting sheep, goats, pigs and other livestock graze within woodland.
Grazing within woodlands destroys the seedlings so that when the woodland is stressed by weather, insects, fire or other infirmities, the entire forest dies and there are no seedlings for recovery. Moreover, in the case of cork, pigs eat the acorns.
A good documented case study is cork forest management in Sardinia and Portugal: Sardinia does not allow livestock in cork forests and continues cork production, wheras in Portugal and Spain livestock has long grazed within forests leading to diminished forests and their demise.
It is a fact that it was you Christians that started the deforestation – your trying to do a Goebbels – but it is’nt working.