Gibraltar ‘surrender’ deal fury as MPs warn on nex British territory | UK | News
The post-Brexit agreement on Gibraltar has triggered a political debate; Opposition MPs have warned that the deal could raise wider concerns about Britain’s ability to defend its overseas territories.
Ministers signed the agreement in Brussels today; Foreign Minister Stephen Doughty joined the EU’s Brexit envoy Maroš Šefcovic and Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares Bueno for the ceremony.
The agreement will abolish existing border arrangements between Gibraltar and Spain and bring the British Overseas Territories into the EU’s Schengen free movement area.
Gibraltar will remain British territory, but the new system means visitors will face Schengen border controls when entering the territory. Britons traveling to Gibraltar will need to show a passport; The Spanish guards will have the final say on who can enter the Rock and therefore the wider Schengen area.
The arrangement led to accusations from opponents that the Government was weakening the UK’s position on sovereignty.
Reform MP Robert Jenrick said: “This Government has proven completely incapable of defending our national interests.
“They fold up easier than a sun lounger. Why are the English made to show Spaniards their passports to enter British territory?”
“Reform in Britain and Nigel Farage will finally put our country first.”
Reform MP Andrew Rosundall also criticized the agreement, saying Gibraltar’s status as a British territory should not be jeopardized.
He said: “This Government, which betrayed Britain’s sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, has now turned its back on Gibraltar.
“Demanding that the British face Spanish interference when entering British territory is an unacceptable concession.
“Gibraltar has been British since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 and must remain so. If ministers are prepared to jeopardize Gibraltar today, what British Overseas Territories will they risk tomorrow?”
Why did the Gibraltar agreement cause controversy?
According to the Daily Mail, the new agreement will come into effect overnight and will remove the 118-year-old border infrastructure from the Spanish border.
The move makes Gibraltar de facto part of the EU’s Schengen area for travel purposes, although it is not officially part of the European Union.
The region is located at one of the world’s busiest sea crossing points and is of military strategic importance due to its location.
Before Brexit, border checks between Spain and Gibraltar were required due to the UK not being part of the Schengen system. Since leaving the EU, Madrid has pushed for the border to be moved to ports in Gibraltar and for border controls to be removed.
One of the most controversial elements of the agreement is that the British will have to show passports to Spanish officials when entering British territory, which Madrid has long claimed sovereignty over and defined as a colony.
Supporters of the agreement argue that it will ease daily travel for thousands of people who cross the border every day.
Gibraltar Prime Minister Fabian Picardo supported the agreement and attended the signing ceremony.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez welcomed the changes and said they amounted to tearing down the “last wall” within the EU.
The agreement is expected to benefit people who cross the border every day, including around 15,500 Spanish workers who have access to Gibraltar for employment.
Gibraltar covers an area of just under seven square kilometers and has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with an economy based on financial services and online gaming.
The dispute over Gibraltar dates back more than 300 years after the territory was ceded to Britain under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. While Spain continues to claim sovereignty over Gibraltar, Britain argues that its future should be determined by its own residents.
What did opponents say about British rule?
Shadow Armed Forces Secretary Mark Francois linked the Gibraltar deal to wider concerns about Britain’s overseas territories, including the Chagos Islands and the Falkland Islands.
He said: “It is a fitting end for the Starmer Government to result in a further weakening of our sovereign borders.
“As Labor showed weakness in the face of Chagos, other countries smelled the opportunity – and we are now under pressure from sovereign base areas in Cyprus and Argentina, which have revived their false claim to the Falklands.”
Former Tory Brexit minister David Jones, who has since joined Reform, also attacked the deal.
He said: “This is an ugly, pathetic capitulation by the British Government.
“Both this government and the previous Conservative administration were weak and spineless.
“This is another forced capitulation and one the British people will not forget at the next general election.”
Former Defense Secretary Sir Gavin Williamson added: “The government seems determined to give it all away. First Chagos, then Gibraltar.
“They don’t seem to care much about Britain’s strategic interests or the people who live there.”
Could the Falkland Islands be the next fight for sovereignty?
The controversy arose after the Government agreed to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, maintaining access to the Diego Garcia military base on a 99-year lease.
The deal will see Britain hand over control of the islands and continue operating the strategically important US-UK base. The regulation was reported to cost around £35 billion.
The agreement was subject to criticism from the US President Donald TrumpOpponents have warned that Britain’s other overseas territories could face pressure in the future.
There are also concerns among critics that outgoing Prime Minister Andy Burnham may try to revive the Chagos agreement.
Argentina has renewed its claim over the Falkland Islands ahead of England’s World Cup semi-final, insisting the islands belong to Argentina.
Sir Keir Starmer recently criticized comments by Argentine foreign minister Pablo Quirno, who described Falkland Islanders as an “artificially settled” population.
The Prime Minister rejected Argentina’s claims, while opponents warned that any perceived weakening of Britain’s position in overseas territories could encourage further defiance.
The Gibraltar agreement has therefore intensified a wider political debate about how Britain protects its overseas territories and strategic interests around the world.
