Charlie Smith
THE BBC has become embroiled in a sovereignty row after it appeared to suggest that Gibraltar is part of Spain in a CBeebies show.
An episode of the cartoon Go Jetters aimed to teach children about the migration of birds from Europe to Africa.
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A voiceover explains that characters Lars, Foz, Xuli and Kyan are travelling to the strait of Gibraltar to watch a flock of stalks.
However, any reference to the Rock is then cast aside as Lars later says the group are making the journey from ‘Spain to Africa’.
“The BBC has let its guard down and failed in educating the next generation about our far flung, diverse and fascinating Overseas Territories,” said Ben Brickley, a spokesman for charity Friends of the British Overseas Territories.
“We are disappointed to hear that the BBC, which is a public service British broadcaster, has failed to identify the Rock as an integral part of our British family.”
Gibraltar has faced consistent challenges to its British sovereignty from the Spanish Government, as well as from the far right Vox party, which has just gained a historic 52 seats in the recent elections.
The party, led by former military officer, Santiago Abascal, has consistently been critical of what it sees as Britain’s ‘colonisation’ of the Rock.
But Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and Sir Joe Bossano have frequently railed against any suggestions that the Rock is ‘not British’.
“Spain believes it can corner us,” said Bossano earlier this year during the Brexit negotiations, during which Madrid attempted to amend EU legislation, referring to the Rock in a footnote as a ‘Spanish colony’.
