Joe Duggan (Reporter)
WILLIAM Hague has warned that Spain could hold the U.K. ‘hostage’ over Gibraltar in any post-Brexit trade talks.
Speaking at London’s Royal Society, the former foreign secretary and Conservative leader suggested Mariano Rajoy’s PP government may aim for ‘joint sovereignty over Gibraltar’.
The peer revealed his fears that Spain could use its veto to block any Brexit deal, with ex-foreign secretary Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo demanding joint sovereignty over the Rock.
Hague said: “The UK has to assume the negotiations will end in two years because it could be held hostage by the demands of one member state refusing to extend the negotiations.”
Hague told an audience of manufacturers it would be ‘a miracle if everything could be wrapped up in two years’ and that ‘transitional arrangements will become increasingly important for the UK and the rest of the EU as well’.
If no trade agreement is struck between the U.K and the EU by 2019, Britain will revert to World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms.
Margallo’s been sacked and the Government is more conciliatory on Gibraltar now. After all, what could Spain do with the Gibraltarians – deport them, shoot them or give them Spanish nationality (30,000 rebel citizens…)?
It would all end in tears.
I agree Lenox, it’s no accident that Margallo got the push and I think there is a definite softening on Spain’s stance towards Gibraltar. The border has been much improved of late (I can’t remember the last time we had to queue!) and I think the Spanish government want to maintain good relations with the UK in the lead up to Brexit.
It now looks like there is a strong possibility that the UK will join the EEA post Brexit which would mean business as usual for Gibraltar.
I think that the better is to close the fence.
But joint sovereignty over Gibraltar is the only topic where Rajoy may hope to get a majority of votes in the Spanish parliament.
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I bet on “deport them”. Because this is now the new mainstream in all European countries: don’t tolerate aliens in my country. What else tells us the Brexit vote?
I wouldn’t believe anything our current government says on this subject.
They have no plan, no clue, and are basically making it up as they go along.
Theresa May has spent years cultivating an image of competence and completely undermined that in just 3 months.
Her dishonesty and lack of realism is going to do this country and Gibraltar a lot of damage.
García Margallo was removed because he was too soft regarding the Gibraltar problem.
Not only they are illegally occupying an integral part of Spain’s territory, but also and even worse, they have converted it in a tax haven, smugglers paradise and an illegal gambling den.
They are out of the EU now hence that border should be hardened
Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in the Treaty of Utrech over 300 years ago. How is that illegal? It was all signed and sealed. You need to stop watching Spanish TV full of propaganda and lies. Its about time the Spanish got over it and stop living in the past. You want it back? Go to war and take it by force instead of endless whining and bitching.
It is also not a tax haven. I pay tax in Gibraltar as does everyone else there. Those days are gone. They are not out of EU as they are still a member via the UK. What they do do is provide up to 10,000 spanish workers jobs and income for their families in the Campo de Gibraltar area. Employment that your own government can’t provide. Hardening the border would hurt your fellow Spanish citizens as they wouldn’t be able to get to work and feed their families. And lets face it. If Gibraltar became Spanish again, it would just become an extension of La Linea, which is a disgusting cess pit.
10000 spanish workers?? in gibraltar??
LOL
“Too soft” Pablo? You would need the Caudillo to rise from the dead (or your old pal, Pinochet) if you were to find someone more to the right or “harder” than Margallo.
pinochet??
he was a “good friend” of britain, according to your heroine thatcher.
bet you loved both of them.
About as much as I like you Pablo.
Christopher Rose. How do you know they have no plan? It is you remoaners trying every way to cheat the majority voting public out of our exit from the EU that is doing untold damage to the economy. Gibraltarians will NEVER accept the Spanish flag flying there!!
No it is absolutely right to have MPs to vote on it. The referendum was advisory and most brexit idiots had no idea what they were voting for. Lets just hope that parliament who do know what they’re doing realise what a dumb ass mistake it is to come out of the EU and this whole brexit thing will never happen.
Garcia Margallo is a Fascist with a medieval anti democratic way of acting so no sleep loss over him being sacked. Gibraltar is not illegally occupied, it was GIVEN to the UK by Spain. No tax havens converted in Gibraltar, everything is transparent and available to Governments to review, as has been done in the past. smugglers paradise!!!! the smuggling is done by Spaniards into Spain, and as for the illegal gambling den enough misguided information that no longer gels with no one except the PP supporters and sympathies……lets talk about your country, Spain, corruption, from political spheres up to Spanish royalty, unemployment, missuses of government funds, debt, fascist like anti democratic gagging laws on media etc….come on!!! who you trying to kid?
“No tax havens converted in Gibraltar, everything is transparent and available”
LOL
Good one.
Made my dat
Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo is no longer Foreign Secretary.