Spain Threatens Hard Border at Gibraltar Amid Post-Brexit Tensions Over 'Generous' Deal

[Social Media]

 

Spain is putting pressure on the UK to accept a post-Brexit agreement that would allow Spanish troops to be stationed in Gibraltar, or else face the implementation of a hard border. Madrid's proposed deal would see Gibraltar join the Schengen area, enabling the free movement of people. However, Spanish authorities have insisted on having their security forces stationed at Gibraltar’s ports and airports to monitor incoming and outgoing travelers.

 

This renewed demand from Spain comes in the wake of a recent decision by the UK’s new Labour government to hand over the disputed Chagos Islands back to Mauritius after years of negotiations. This development, seen as a softening of the UK’s stance on overseas territories, has raised concerns about the future of Gibraltar. Speaking in Andalusia, the southern Spanish region bordering Gibraltar, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement to avoid significant disruption.

 

 

Albares warned that without a deal, the European Union’s new digital border system would affect thousands of people on both sides of the border. He explained that non-EU citizens, such as Britons living in Gibraltar, would be restricted to spending only 90 days in Spain every 180 days unless a new agreement is reached. Since December 2020, a temporary post-Brexit deal has allowed Gibraltar’s residents to remain part of the border-free Schengen zone, along with other EU-related benefits. As part of the arrangement, Spanish border guards have refrained from stamping the passports of Gibraltar residents, allowing them to move freely between Gibraltar and Spain without triggering their 90-day travel limit.

 

In exchange, more than 15,000 Spanish workers, who constitute more than half of Gibraltar’s working population, have been able to enter and leave the British overseas territory with relative ease. The absence of strict border controls has benefited both sides, particularly as many travelers from Gibraltar frequently visit Spanish resorts like Malaga and Marbella, popular with British tourists.

 

Negotiations for a long-term deal nearly reached a conclusion last year, but talks faltered over the issue of joint policing at Gibraltar Airport. The airport saw almost half a million passengers pass through its gates in 2023, many of whom traveled on to Spain’s holiday destinations. The inability to agree on shared policing responsibilities has remained a key stumbling block in negotiations.

 

Albares reiterated his government’s position, stating: "It’s time for the United Kingdom to say yes to a balanced and generous agreement that we have put on the table a long time ago." He emphasized that the UK must now choose between imposing restrictive measures on Gibraltar's residents or accepting the “generous and balanced” deal Spain is offering.

 

However, the proposal has met with strong opposition from Gibraltar’s government. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo firmly rejected any suggestion of Spanish police operating within Gibraltar’s borders, stating that he would not accept "Spanish boots on the ground." According to reports in *The Daily Telegraph*, Gibraltar’s government has threatened to retaliate with its own border controls if no agreement can be reached, potentially leading to significant delays for workers and travelers at the border.

 

The issue of Gibraltar has long been a point of tension between the UK and Spain. Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht, but Spain has continued to assert its territorial claim to the Rock. Despite this, Gibraltar’s residents overwhelmingly voted to remain under British sovereignty in a 2002 referendum, with a staggering 98% of the population opting to stay British.

 

Spain’s push for a post-Brexit deal has gained momentum in light of the UK’s recent decision to transfer the Chagos Islands, also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, to Mauritius. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer defended the decision, arguing that the agreement was necessary to secure the continued operation of a UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands. However, critics from the Conservative Party have condemned the move as a "dangerous capitulation," accusing the government of ceding territory to a nation allied with China and raising concerns about the future of other British overseas territories, including Gibraltar.

 

In the House of Commons, Prime Minister Starmer addressed fears about the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, another disputed territory between the UK and Argentina. Recalling his personal connection to the 1982 Falklands War, Starmer reassured MPs that the Falklands "are British and will remain British." He also reiterated his government’s commitment to the continued sovereignty of Gibraltar.

 

As negotiations continue, the future of Gibraltar remains uncertain, with both sides holding firm to their positions. The threat of a hard border and restricted movement looms large, but so too does the possibility of a historic agreement that could finally resolve one of the longest-running territorial disputes in Europe.

 

Based on a report from Daily Mail 2024-10-11

 

 

 

[Snackbar]

Weak woke weird Queer Kier, the UK is done

[jippytum]

Starmer is such a Wimp he is likely to handover Gibraltar to the Spanish and the Falklands to the 'Argies. 

After only 100 days in office he must be the most inept and unpopular PM in British history. 

[JonnyF]

They've seen Starmer's weakness and are striking while the iron is hot.

 

Expect Starmer to cave, claiming "it was the right thing to do".

 

Pathetic. 

[newbee2022]

Without the tourists and a hard border Gibraltar would be a devastated rock with monkeys. (2 and 4 legs).

So good reasons to give it to Spain. ( same as NI to IRL)👍

[Tailwagsdog]

When will Spain return its own North African Gibraltars ..Melila & Cueta back to Morocco ....

...hello? ...bola? ..seem to have gone very quiet

[Purdey]

It doesn't seem unreasonable that with all the trouble the UK has financially, as well as with having migrants entering willy nilly, that it would seek to lower its expenditure in its foreign conquests of the past while maintaining national security. The last word needs to be with the locals, however.

[retarius]

Britain might want its fisheries back.

[RayC]

Another Brexit "benefit".

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, Tailwagsdog said:

When will Spain return its own North African Gibraltars ..Melila & Cueta back to Morocco ....

...hello? ...bola? ..seem to have gone very quiet

What actually has Gibraltar to do with Ceuta and Melilla btw???😳 As far as I can see the thread is about Gibraltar.....😳

[Cameroni]

Just now, newbee2022 said:

What actually has Gibraltar to do with Ceuta and Melilla btw???😳 As far as I can see the thread is about Gibraltar.....😳

 

I think it's a fair point, Spain feels agrieved because the British have occupied Gibraltar. But Spain is equally occupying Ceuta and Melilla.

 

Surely that's  a fair point?

[newbee2022]

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

 

I think it's a fair point, Spain feels agrieved because the British have occupied Gibraltar. But Spain is equally occupying Ceuta and Melilla.

 

Surely that's  a fair point?

No, it isn't. It's ONLY about Gibraltar, nothing else. So your post is irrelevant unfortunately. Try again🤗

[Cameroni]

3 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

No, it isn't. It's ONLY about Gibraltar, nothing else. So your post is irrelevant unfortunately. Try again🤗

 

No, it's not. Spain's sense of grievance on Gibraltar has to be put into perspective. Since Spain is doing the same with Melilla and Ceuta, this rather weakens Spain's case on Gibraltar, surely?

[newbee2022]

9 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

No, it's not. Spain's sense of grievance on Gibraltar has to be put into perspective. Since Spain is doing the same with Melilla and Ceuta, this rather weakens Spain's case on Gibraltar, surely?

I have apples in my hand and you want to talk about oranges. Doesn't work. 😂

[Cameroni]

11 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I have apples in my hand and you want to talk about oranges. Doesn't work. 😂

 

We're not talking about apples or oranges, we are talking about the occupation of a territory. And if Spain is herself occupying another nation's territory that's rather relevant to her complaint of another nation occcupying hers.

 

If you have a woman complaining about cheating, it is rather relevant if she is cheating herself.

[newbee2022]

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

 

We're not talking about apples or oranges, we are talking about the occupation of a territory. And if Spain is herself occupying another nation's territory that's rather relevant to her complaint of another nation occcupying hers.

 

If you have a woman complaining about cheating, it is rather relevant if she is cheating herself.

I am talking about Gibraltar, not about any other territory. 

Stay with the post..

...if you can☹️🥴😵‍💫

[Cameroni]

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I am talking about Gibraltar, not about any other territory. 

Stay with the post..

...if you can☹️🥴😵‍💫

 

You seem to fail to understand that there is a general principle involved here. Spain can only point to a legitimate grievance if occupying another nation's land is objectionable in principle. However, Spain is doing the exact same thing herself!

 

So this is like a woman that's cheating complaining of being cheated on!

[newbee2022]

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

 

You seem to fail to understand that there is a general principle involved here. Spain can only point to a legitimate grievance if occupying another nation's land is objectionable in principle. However, Spain is doing the exact same thing herself!

 

So this is like a woman that's cheating complaining of being cheated on!

Logic thinking is not one of your skills. I'm very sorry.

End of conversation. ☹️

[Nick Carter icp]

12 hours ago, Social Media said:

This renewed demand from Spain comes in the wake of a recent decision by the UK’s new Labour government to hand over the disputed Chagos

 

1 hour ago, RayC said:

Another Brexit "benefit".

 

 

    This is about the new Labour government being nice and friendly to other Countries  , nothing to do with Brexit 

[nauseus]

This old chestnut appears right on the back of the abandonment of the Chagos Islands. Starmer is a fool.

[AndreasHG]

2 hours ago, RayC said:

Another Brexit "benefit".

 

And counting...

[RayC]

42 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

 

 

    This is about the new Labour government being nice and friendly to other Countries  , nothing to do with Brexit 

 

I wonder what approach is best for the UK and more likely to be successful? Starmer's attempts to forge a peaceful, friendly, constructive relationship with the EU, or Johnson's hostile, confrontational, isolationist stance? Hummmm ....

 

There was never a problem crossing between Gibraltar and Spain whilst the UK was a member of the EU. 

 

Moreover, any discussions about Gibraltar's sovereignty were effectively off the table while we were an EU member. The Commission remained impartial on the matter and no other EU member state was going to take sides. Now, who knows? 

 

As I said, another Brexit "benefit".

[Lancelot01]

4 hours ago, Purdey said:

It doesn't seem unreasonable that with all the trouble the UK has financially, as well as with having migrants entering willy nilly, that it would seek to lower its expenditure in its foreign conquests of the past while maintaining national security. The last word needs to be with the locals, however.

The Gibraltarians have had at least 2 referendums and voted overwhelmingly to remain British. 

[Purdey]

10 minutes ago, Lancelot01 said:

The Gibraltarians have had at least 2 referendums and voted overwhelmingly to remain British. 

Yes, I read that. 

Don't think they got a referendum when the British took it, but that is long past now. They are British and proud of it.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, RayC said:

 

I wonder what approach is best for the UK and more likely to be successful? Starmer's attempts to forge a peaceful, friendly, constructive relationship with the EU, or Johnson's hostile, confrontational, isolationist stance? Hummmm ....

 

There was never a problem crossing between Gibraltar and Spain whilst the UK was a member of the EU. 

 

Moreover, any discussions about Gibraltar's sovereignty were effectively off the table while we were an EU member. The Commission remained impartial on the matter and no other EU member state was going to take sides. Now, who knows? 

 

As I said, another Brexit "benefit".

 

    How many times did you cross to Gibraltar ?

It will be Starmers choice as whether to give Gibraltar to Spain or whether to enter into discussion on the subject .

   It will be Starmers decision , nothing to do with Boris Johnson or Brexit 

[candide]

What are you all ranting about? The O.P. is not at all about giving Gibraltar to Spain or not. 😁

 

The issue is about letting the Spanish police doing controls at the airport. It makes sense as, under the expected agreement, any entry into Gibraltar would be an entry into the Shengen area.

 

Of course, this detail about passport control may also be a symbolic issue for both Spain and UK.

[RayC]

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    How many times did you cross to Gibraltar ?

It will be Starmers choice as whether to give Gibraltar to Spain or whether to enter into discussion on the subject .

   It will be Starmers decision , nothing to do with Boris Johnson or Brexit 

 

Not that my individual experience proves anything one way or the other, but I have crossed that border twice (once in each direction). If I remember correctly, it was in 2011, and it was about as complicated as crossing the border between Belgium and France i.e. it was pretty much seamless. I wonder if that is still - and will remain - the case?

 

Yes, ultimately it will be the UK government's decision whether to relinquish ownership of Gibraltar. I was pointing out that 1) Spain is more likely to raise questions about Gibraltar's sovereignty now that the UK is outside of the EU and 2) imo adopting a cordial, co-operative attitude with the EU is likely to prove more productive than the hostile, confrontational attitude employed by Johnson. 

 

You might disagree but good luck in trying to find any evidence to support the idea that Johnston's approach proved beneficial to the UK.

[nauseus]

On 10/11/2024 at 8:07 PM, RayC said:

 

Not that my individual experience proves anything one way or the other, but I have crossed that border twice (once in each direction). If I remember correctly, it was in 2011, and it was about as complicated as crossing the border between Belgium and France i.e. it was pretty much seamless. I wonder if that is still - and will remain - the case?

 

Yes, ultimately it will be the UK government's decision whether to relinquish ownership of Gibraltar. I was pointing out that 1) Spain is more likely to raise questions about Gibraltar's sovereignty now that the UK is outside of the EU and 2) imo adopting a cordial, co-operative attitude with the EU is likely to prove more productive than the hostile, confrontational attitude employed by Johnson. 

 

You might disagree but good luck in trying to find any evidence to support the idea that Johnston's approach proved beneficial to the UK.

 

Johnson's approach has nothing to do with this topic. Only very shortly after ceding the Chagos Is. and effectively abandoning the Chagossian people, Starmer has set a precedent in the eyes of Spain and Argentina, so now faces sovereign claims with both, over Gibraltar and The Falklands respectively. Starmer's weakness will cause ever more problems, which will probably be aggravated by the EU (at least in the case of Gib) for its advantage. Both Spain and Argentina would love to see this weakness result in complete wins for both of them.  

 

 

Another useless nitwit at the end of the long list of recent useless PM nitwits.

[billd766]

On 10/11/2024 at 8:07 PM, RayC said:

 

Not that my individual experience proves anything one way or the other, but I have crossed that border twice (once in each direction). If I remember correctly, it was in 2011, and it was about as complicated as crossing the border between Belgium and France i.e. it was pretty much seamless. I wonder if that is still - and will remain - the case?

 

Yes, ultimately it will be the UK government's decision whether to relinquish ownership of Gibraltar. I was pointing out that 1) Spain is more likely to raise questions about Gibraltar's sovereignty now that the UK is outside of the EU and 2) imo adopting a cordial, co-operative attitude with the EU is likely to prove more productive than the hostile, confrontational attitude employed by Johnson. 

 

You might disagree but good luck in trying to find any evidence to support the idea that Johnston's approach proved beneficial to the UK.

Why not completely ignore what the people of Gibraltar want?

 

They only live there.

[RayC]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

 

Johnson's approach has nothing to do with this topic. Only very shortly after ceding the Chagos Is. and effectively abandoning the Chagossian people, Starmer has set a precedent in the eyes of Spain and Argentina, so now faces sovereign claims with both, over Gibraltar and The Falklands respectively. Starmer's weakness will cause ever more problems, which will probably be aggravated by the EU (at least in the case of Gib) for its advantage. Both Spain and Argentina would love to see this weakness result in complete wins for both of them.  

 

 

Another useless nitwit at the end of the long list of recent useless PM nitwits.

 

Johnson's attitude to the EU antagonised the member states and it is intuitively obvious that it is a lot easier for Spain to raise the question of Gibraltar's sovereign with the UK outside, rather than within, the EU.

 

However, I agree with the rest of your post. Moreover, one has to question Starmer's nous if he thinks the timing of the announcements of the withdrawal of the Winter Fuel Allowance closely followed by the ceding of sovereignty of the Chaos Island was good politics