Elena Gocmen Rueda
BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson lamented the fact that his ‘friend Fabian Picardo’, Gibraltar’s Chief Minister was unable to attend a reception at the Tory Party Conference because he had contracted Covid.
Picardo tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday after returning from a trip to London which meant he has to isolate for ten days and therefore cancel all political engagements including a reception he was to host at the conference in Manchester on Sunday night,
The event was attended by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who gave a “barnstorming speech” expressing sadness at Picardo’s absence but expressing confidence that “he will be fine”.
“I know he will be fine because he’s been double-vaccinated and he is going to bounce back stronger than ever, just as the British economy is going to bounce back stronger than ever and just as the friendship, the unity between this country and Gibraltar is going to be cemented forever,” Johnson said.
Although asymptomatic, Picardo’s condition was detected with a PCR test taken within 24 hours after his arrival from the UK on Thursday.
He confirmed his diagnosis in a tweet.
“I feel perfectly well and have returned home as required by the contact tracing office,” Picardo explained.
“I had no symptoms and therefore I have been in contact with many people in the last 24 hours since my arrival in Gibraltar.
“It’s an important time for Gibraltar, so to some extent I’m happy to have contracted the disease now, so I hope to be able to continue to deal with future UK-EU treaty negotiations on Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU.”
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