John Culatto
LIZZ Truss’s shock resignation as UK Prime Minister ‘will have no direct effect on Gibraltar’, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said.
Picardo told local broadcaster GBC that even if there was a snap election, a new Conservative or Labour government would not mean a change of policy in relation to Gibraltar either.
The interview followed another troubling day for UK politics when Truss became the shortest serving Prime Minister in British history.
Boris Johnson’s successor lasted just 45 days in the top job.
A toxic combination of backbench Tory anger, plummeting polls and an embarrassing U-turn on taxation for the wealthiest in society sentenced Truss to her fate in record time.
Picardo, meanwhile, has now won three elections in a row on the Rock and worked with four Conservative leaders in the process.
He said the ‘political turmoil’ would not affect talks over an EU treaty.
“We haven’t got a British government minister heading the negotiations,” Picardo said.
“For the UK we’ve got the British ambassador in Brussels, Ms Lindsay Appleby heading the negotiations,” he added.
The quick turnaround came just weeks after Picardo had welcomed James Cleverly as Foreign Minister in London.
But Gibraltar’s leader did not want to work up too much of a fuss about the shocking news.
“You need to see how these things play out and not speculate about what might or might not happen at the level of policy,” Picardo told GBC.
“But … people can rest assured that there is no politician in any of the main political parties … that will take a position that will be contrary to the people and government of Gibraltar.”
As world leaders called for UK political stability the Rock is trying to settle a deal with Spain that could have long-term effects on its own economy and the surrounding area.
READ MORE:
- Gibraltar ministers meet with UK Foreign Secretary and Minister for Europe in London
- UK’s Labour party pledges to support Gibraltar in talks over an EU treaty from Liverpool conference
- UK Minister for Europe compares Gibraltar’s British wish to his Brexit grit during Rock visit
