THE ENTRY FEE TO GIBRALTAR SCAM IS BACK

It appears the entry fee scam perpetrated on those sitting in the lengthy queues in their cars at the border is back. I suppose one has to ask, did it ever go away?

On Friday I received this email from Philip. He wrote: “Today a scruffy man tried to take 20 euros off my partner and I as we drove into the queue to get into Gibraltar from Spain. He scribbled something in marker pen in the bottom near side windscreen. He rubbed this out when it became apparent we would not be paying as we failed to see how this could help. The man was still around later in the day, we drove past and ignored him.”

Philip closed his email by asking: “Is this a regular thing?”

My answer would be that I thought it currently isn’t but it certainly was. I can’t remember seeing these scammers in recent years in the queues but they certainly were a common sight during the 1990s.

In those days the tactic was to sell drivers in cars the scammers had identified as belonging to tourists an actual ticket to get on to the Rock. This they were assured was needed and they were asked to hand over pesetas in those days. And what did they get in return? An ONCE lottery ticket torn in half. At least if it was an actual valid ONCE ticket you might have ended up winning some cash instead of being out of pocket.

Of course this ploy would only work with tourists as a Spaniard would know an ONCE ticket when he or she saw one and Gibraltarians and regular visitors would know only too well there was no charge or indeed tickets.

As the drivers are being targeted in La Línea’s lengthy queue, where they are sitting ducks for the shysters, there is little on the face of it that Gibraltar or Gibraltarians can do about it. However it should be of major concern to us as the victims will feel they have been conned whilst visiting Gibraltar and hence our named is blackened by the scammers.

Gibraltarians and those who cross by car in to Gibraltar on a regular basis can help. If you see the scammers at work then please warn the innocent tourists they should not pay. A loud blast on your car horn will probably do the trick!

Clear signs on La Línea’s lampposts along the route of the queues in English and Spanish warning drivers that no ticket is required to enter Gibraltar  would also be a great help. Cracking down on the scammers is as much in our neighbour’s interest as it is ours.

Our Chief Minister and La Línea’s mayor now work closely together on many fronts. A word from Mr Picardo in Gemma Araujo’s shell-like should do the trick on the tricksters.

LOOKING BEYOND OUR OWN BORDER

The Chief Minister has been attending a conference hosted by the British Virgin Islands at which he was one of the key speakers. There are two aspects of this encounter which interest me which I shall return to in a moment.

However the first point I want to make is that traditionally Gibraltar has looked to the UK as being its main partner in the world. Although this relationship is still of major importance and the bed rock of Gibraltar the nation there is a much bigger world out there to which we have to relate.

Unlike the UK, an island nation, Gibraltar is an integral part of the continent of Europe. In many ways the importance of the EU in our daily lives is far greater than it is to Britons. If the UK was to withdraw from the EU then it would spell economic and political disaster for Gibraltar. As the Chief Minister has previously stated in Brussels: Gibraltar wants more Europe and not less.

However what his visit to the BVI demonstrates is that apart from the UK and Europe the British Overseas Territories are not just a club we belong to but a club in which we should be a major player. I do not believe an MP speaking for the British Overseas Territories at Westminster is a good idea because quite simply the interests are too diverse. In contrast I do believe the OTs should organize themselves in to a working union centred on themselves and not via the UK.

This brings me to the first aspect of the BVI meeting which interests me. It was when the OT Premiers first met in Gibraltar last year that our Chief Minister highlighted to them that each of the Territories are world leaders in diverse fields and should be seeking to leverage that together internationally. This is something he has carried through to the BVI conference. He again pointed out that Bermuda is the world leader in captive insurance business; the BVI is the top jurisdiction for company registrations in the world; the Cayman Islands are the main jurisdiction in the world for the incorporation of Hedge Funds; and the Falkland Islands enjoy potentially huge oil reserves and fishing grounds; with Gibraltar being the "online Las Vegas" in virtual gaming. Suddenly collectively they are transformed from being smaller players to world leaders and as a collective unit are a formidable group.

The second aspect is when the Chief Minister explained that, in Gibraltar, he is about to launch a platform of e-government through the use of information and communication technology. This will provide a more efficient and effective administration which will make Government services more accessible and will make more information available to citizens, thus intentionally making the Government more accountable. The Chief Minister also announced that his government will shortly introduce a new identity card which will be allow for even greater e-government applications to be accessible to citizens.

Well three cheers for that! In October I attended a Committee of the Regions Conference at the EU in Brussels where towns, cities, communities and small nations demonstrated how they were using information and communication technology to do exactly what the Chief Minister described. The point I have always made is given the relative small population in Gibraltar and the compact nature of the community then e-government and e-democracy should be relatively easy to introduce here. Not only that but once up and running Gibraltar should then become a reference point across Europe and the wider world of these very technologies.

What we are seeing is Gibraltar pushing itself out from its traditional border, promoting itself beyond its traditional alliances. Whilst these alliances remain important Gibraltar’s place amount the OT world leaders and at the forefront of the development of e-government is what marks the future.

HOW ABOUT JOINT SOVEREIGNTY WITH MOROCCO

The reported statements of King Juan Carlos of Spain in the 1980s that his country did not really want Gibraltar back because it would add pressure on handing over Ceuta and Melilla to Morocco has the right in our neighbouring country on the run.

The last thing Rajoy and those of the Gibraltar Español clique want is any linkage between their claim over sovereignty of the Rock and Morocco’s demand for Ceuta, Melilla plus the numerous islands such as Perejil to be handed over to Rabat.

So it is not surprising that Europa Sur should carry an article on Saturday dismissing any similarity between Gibraltar and the North African enclaves. Penned by Quino López it may also have appeared in other newspapers belonging to the Joly stable.

The key part of López’s article is: “La recurrente comparación no tiene fundamentos jurídicos ni históricos El Peñón fue español hasta 1704, mientras que las ciudades autonómas jamas pertenecieron a Marruecos.”

It is true that Ceuta and Melilla were never part of the Moroccan State but neither are they an integral part of Spain, they are not even in the same continent. However to say “El Peñón fue español hasta 1704” is also very misleading to say the least.

Now I am no historian so if you are and I have any facts here wrong then feel free to shout. As far as I understand it until 711, when the Moors took over Gibraltar, it had passed through many hands, Greeks, Romans and Visigoths. Hence up to that point in time it was no more part of Spain than the enclaves were part of Morocco.

The Moors held Gibraltar till 1462. However Spain seemed rather unenthusiastic about making it part of its realm and it floated around various owners till 1501 when it reverted to the Spanish Crown.

So pre 711 Gibraltar was not Spanish. Between 711 and 1462 it was held by the Moors who came across the sea from what now is Morocco, so they held if for 751 years. It was only truly Spanish between 1501 and 1704 and in 1713 Spain signed it away “in perpetuity”. Hence Gibraltar was Spanish for either 203 or 212 years. Since 1704 it has been British so this year it has been non-Spanish again for 310 years.

So let us look at that again. Pre 711 various rulers, 751 years in the hands of the Moors, 203 or 212 ruled by Spain and 310 years British and now Gibraltarian too. Now I am no more a mathematician than I am a historian but if anybody has an historic claim to Gibraltar it is the Moors and if they don’t then the Brits and Gibraltarians certainly do. In last place comes Spain.

Now because I am mischievous and given our good relations with our neighbour across the Strait, many of whose citizens happily reside here, I would say yes let’s go for joint sovereignty – with Morocco. With Britain and Morocco on our side what chance then of Rajoy and Margallo trying to destroy Gibraltar the nation?

Can you imagine the anger and consternation in Madrid if the people of Gibraltar decided to embrace Morocco to partner Britain in guaranteeing the Rock’s future and its security?

It will never happen of course but it doesn’t stop me enjoying the thought of Spain’s response. Meanwhile the Gibraltar Español clique will continue to argue its flimsy case in the hope the world will be fooled and that it will gain Gibraltar and hold on to Ceuta and Melilla.

Dream on, dream on! The way things are going its not winning territory that should be occupying Rajoy’s mind but rather holding on to what he has got. The stampede to leave his State by the Catalans and indeed the Basques is getting underway in earnest. I shall come to that tomorrow.

TRIBUTE TO LUIS DEL RIO

In 2013 the socialist family in Gibraltar lost two major figures. In April we said goodbye to Charles Bruzon and on the last day of the year to Luis Del Rio.

Both were very different people but had more in common than one might realise. I first met Luis some two and a half years ago. When I was introduced to him he was described to me as being Gibraltar’s Che Guevara. It was said somewhat tongue in cheek but it came back to me when I read Joelle Baglietto’s fond Facebook farewell tribute where she wrote “Say hi to Che for me.”

Some months after I met Luis my dear friend Charles asked me to read through an article he’d written for the Christian Socialist Movement magazine in the UK. What stunned me was that Charles had chosen to use a radical quote from Keir Hardie in which he wrote of Christ the first Communist. I never discussed religion with Luis but I certainly did with Charles. Both men were staunch socialists and I am sure they connected in that conviction via Hardie, Che and Christ the first Communist. Indeed Charles was always delighted when he could connect his devout Christianity with Joe Bossano’s strong no-nonsense socialism, which happened more often than not.

The other aspect of their lives in which they shared much in common was their genuine concern for other people. Both men would go out of their way to help those in need. The disadvantaged in our society could count on their help and support not just in word but also in deed.

Yet Charles Bruzon and Luis del Rio were also very different. I remember well the first time I heard Charles speak in public because I was knocked away by his articulate, impassioned socialist message born of the pulpit. I also remember the last time that Luis stood for the executive committee of the GSLP. Candidates were given the opportunity to make a short speech. That was not Luis’ way, he gave a wave and the party re-elected him because they already knew his true worth.

Charles was one of the public faces of the GSLP first as an MP and then as a Government minister. Luis was one of the dedicated backroom boys. Yet both were wise enough to know you could not have one without the other. Leaders need loyal lieutenants at their side and there was none more loyal than Luis Del Rio.

In losing Luis Gibraltar has lost another part of its historic memory. He came from a Gibraltar very different from the Rock of today and indeed those under 30 probably know little of its existence.

Luis grew up alongside Joe Bossano: a man he was close to all his life. When I interviewed Joe some years ago we spoke of his early life in Gibraltar. Although I grew up some 1,000 miles to the north our mutual families had shared experiences. Poverty is poverty is poverty whether it is Devil’s Gap or Silvertown in London’s dockland. What is common is the battle of families to survive with dignity.

That very hardship is in the DNA of today’s Gibraltarian even though extreme poverty is a thing of the past. It was Luis, along with others, who gave witness to it. Their fight for justice was carried first by the TGWU through to today’s GSLP and Luis was one of the socialism’s constant banner carriers.

I last spoke to Luis at length just days before he flew to London for the hospital tests which tragically bore bad news. If he had any inkling of his pending fate he certainly gave no signs and it was a conversation filled with his usual good humour.

I am not sure if in the after life they read Panorama, perhaps they do online. In my last email message to Luis as he started his final treatment I urged him to have anímo. If he is reading this my message would be the same as he rights any wrongs he sees around him. I certainly send anímo to his close family at their deep loss: a loss they share with the wider socialist family and all Gibraltarians who believe in social justice for all.

SPAIN’S GIBRALTAR DILEMMA

I was interested to read the alleged remarks of Spain’s monarch, King Juan Carlos, when back in 1983 he stated that his country didn’t really want Gibraltar as it would lead to Morocco demanding both Ceuta and Melilla.

Since then of course Morocco has toughened its stance on the Spanish enclaves. Rabat now considers them as integral parts of the Moroccan nation using similar language to Spain over Gibraltar. The Moroccan Government stamps its foot when Spanish Royals or major political figures visit Ceuta or Melilla just as Madrid would if UK Royals or say the Prime Minister should come here. The only difference is that Spain totally ignores Moroccan protests whilst the Foreign Office shakes in fear.

Gibraltar Español is a hangover from Franco’s day. The Partido Popular and the Francoists in its midst clasp it to their hearts. PSOE and other parties do to an extent but rather from fear of being dubbed unpatriotic by the PP if they don’t rather than out of any real conviction.

Gibraltar Español is a key stone of the current Spanish Government’s foreign and indeed domestic policy. But why? One has to assume that Rajoy and Margallo are not stupid (but I could be wrong here) and when the UK and Gibraltar Governments say “no surrender” they know we mean just that.

Surely this is understood in Madrid or is it?

Now if we take the Spanish King at his 1983 word: is all the huff and puff from the Partido Popular Government in Madrid no more than that? Do Rajoy and Margallo really know they won’t get Gibraltar back but believe they have to pretend they want it, even if they really don’t?

It is certainly true that if Gibraltar became Spanish, which it won’t, but if it did then the call for the handing over of Ceuta and Melilla to Morocco would be deafening.

I had always presumed that Gibraltar would have been Spain’s bargaining chip back in the days when Governments decided people fates and not the people themselves. However thankfully the world has since moved on and Gibraltar cannot be traded in exchange for Ceuta and Melilla as it may have been then in the interests of some geopolitics.

Another question is would Madrid be happy to win back a small Rock and let go of Ceuta and Melilla, which cover far larger areas and are two integral provinces in the Spanish nation? The people are Spaniards and have MPs in Madrid. It seems unlikely even if it was possible, which it isn’t.

So what is going on in Madrid’s current stance on Gibraltar? Is it all grand standing in the sure knowledge that the Rock will always be Gibraltarian if not British for ever? Is it a diversion against the problems being faced by the Spanish? If that is the case the diversion has led up a dead end street? Rajoy and Margallo may be idiots but the Spanish people are not. Is it a warning to Cataluña over what could happen there if it breaks from Spain?  Why is Spain using clearly illegal methods under EU and international law to try and crack the Gibraltar nut: attempts it knows are doomed to failure?

Who knows? I certainly don’t but perhaps 30 years on from his first utterances on the matter the Spanish King could kindly tell us.

GAMBLING ON OUR FUTURE

The British Government has made it clear it stands side by side in our dispute with Spain and that it upholds the right of Gibraltarians to self determine their own future. However the UK’s obligations should not end there. Although Gibraltar is punching above its weight on the economic front London should also be giving as much help and assistance it can to the economy of a community of just 30,000 people.

One of the success stories of recent years in Gibraltar’s economy has been the gambling industry. Now take a seat here because it has to be acknowledged that the man who established the on-line gaming companies in Gibraltar was the former Chief Minister Sir Peter Caruana for which he probably hasn’t been given enough credit.

It is clear that delicate discussions have been taking place between the UK and our Government on the new legislation the Treasury wants to introduce to claw back some of the tax income lost by major betting companies moving their operations here. London needs to be careful to balance its lust for winnings in tax against the damage it could do to our economy at a time when we are being attacked on all fronts by Spain.

This week Lord Gardiner of Kimble spoke in the House of Lords during the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill. In response to a question he stated: “The Government (HMG) have been working closely with the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association to seek a remedy in the best interests of British consumers. Officials have met with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar and the GBGA, and there will be further meetings to discuss these matters. The Government have also hosted delegations from the Gibraltar Government and the GBGA in London. The Government very much look forward to continuing a positive and productive relationship with Gibraltar.” A lot of wise words but words that leave us none the wiser.

However Reuters does have some words of cheer. It reports that William Hill plans to maintain its online betting base in Gibraltar despite a tax clampdown that will cost it tens of millions of pounds. The company was one of many bookmakers which have set up internet operations allowing them to sign up British gamblers while benefiting from a benign local tax regime.

The UK is planning to impose a 15 percent duty on bookmakers' online winnings from British customers with effect from December 2014, a move that is expected to yield around 300 million pounds a year. Reuters quite rightly says the decision by William Hill will be welcomed Gibraltar's authorities, who have been concerned that bookmakers could move their online operations out of the territory.

Last Wednesday, Andy Lee, Managing Director of William Hill Online who is based in Gibraltar told Reuters: “We have over 400 people in Gibraltar; we run our global operations from there.  Our staff are very happy there and there are reasons why we will remain there in order to be competitive in this market.”

William Hill Online is just one of our online gaming companies. If others spoke out now in as reassuring terms as Andy Lee it would be a major boost to confidence in Gibraltar in these troubled times.

RAJOY AND HIS MASSIVE WATER CANNON

Well it seems Mariano Rajoy has sent his letter off to the Three Kings and they are going to get him a new toy: a massive water cannon. Just how they are going to get it down his chimney I have no idea.

The news was broken by Elena Valenciano is who the Vice Secretary General of PSOE, one of the MPs for Madrid and also the Vice President of PES. She reported: “Yesterday (Tuesday) we learned that the police are going to buy a truck equipped with a high-pressure water cannon to break up demonstrations. Known as jug, which has not been used in our country for more than 20 years, it will cost half a million euros and has a capacity of 7,000 litres of water to be mixed with colouring to mark the clothing of the protesters.”

Now why would Rajoy need a water cannon? Well it seems he told the Three Kings to "protect the free exercise of rights and freedoms and ensure public safety" and "in case of having to re-establish public order in the way least harmful as possible".  And so we witness Spain drift from being a full democracy to an authoritarian State.

The water cannon is all part of the paraphernalia of the PP’s new security laws aimed to keep Spaniards in check. The UN rates Spaniards as amongst the most obedient and well behaved in the world. Yet Rajoy insists he needs a massive water cannon and a draconian law to control them. He fools nobody.

So when this most tolerant of people take to the streets to protest at the handling of the economy, to demonstrate against people losing their homes, to voice their anger over the abusive banks and to rail at the corruption of the Partido Popular their Prime Minister has his answer. A new set of laws that has been condemned both in Spain and by international civil rights organisations plus his giant riot control water cannon. The silent majority will be made to remain silent.

Now if Rajoy treats his own people as if he was a dictator: as an all-powerful leader who demands they stay at home and do not use their democratic right of protest, if this is the way Spaniards are treated then his actions at our border with Gibraltar become much clearer.

Of course whilst Rajoy attacks Gibraltar, as we all know, it is the border town of La Línea and the Spaniards who cross to work who take the full brunt of his fascist actions. For Rajoy Gibraltarians may be a non-people but his fellow Spaniards are of no consequence either.

So in 2014 expect more harassment at the border, no doubt his water cannon will appear whenever Spaniards are brave enough to confront his security laws to protest and as for the people of Cataluña, God help them. I doubt if he will waste his water cannon on them when he has a squadron of armed tanks at his command.

A Happy New Year to us all!

DID FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER MISLEAD PARLIAMENT?

On Tuesday morning there was a mini-debate on Gibraltar in the House of Commons. It was not in the main chamber but in Westminster Hall and was opened by Jim Dobbin, the Labour – Co-op MP for Heywood and Middleton. He prefaced his words by stating his interest as he is also the Chairman of the all party group on Gibraltar.

Jim Dobbin, stood up at 11.00 and continued until 11.15. He frequently gave way so that other MPs - Labour, Conservative, DUP - could also have their say. Then at 11.15 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mark Simmonds, spoke as well as answering MPs questions until 11.30.

So let us first set out what this meant in Gibraltar time. Here on the Rock Jim Dobbin took the floor at noon, sat down at 12.15, the minister then spoke from 12.15 to 12.30. The details of the debate can be checked in Hansard and I will post the link at the end of this article.

The MPs who took part in this debate were very knowledgeable on Gibraltar but were talking largely in the past tense. They spoke about the abuses over the summer, the EC Inspectors, the Guardia Civil shooting and so on and so forth but what they didn’t know as they questioned Mark Simmonds was that at that very moment a Spanish State vessel was sitting in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and refusing to move. They didn’t know and Mark Simmonds didn’t tell them. Had they been aware of that fact then the comments addressed to the Minister would have been far more pointed, heated and angry.

So the question is this: did Mark Simmonds deliberately mislead the House by not coming to the debate and making a statement on the latest blatant incursion by a Spanish State vessel?

The Minister opened his statement by saying: “I congratulate the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Jim Dobbin) on securing this important debate at such a significant time and on the articulate and passionate way in which he outlined his case.” Indeed but he didn’t tell Jim Dobbin, Bob Stewart, Caroline Dinenage, Martin Horwood, Ian Paisley, Simon Hughes and Robert Neil – the MPs whose questions he answered – just how “a significant time” it was.

Now to our own Government’s statement which was made on Tuesday afternoon. “The Government condemns the sustained incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) by the Spanish state survey vessel RV “Ramon Margalef” yesterday and today and its dangerous navigation in our waters. The Government takes a very serious view of this development which represents yet another escalation of Spain’s campaign against Gibraltar on land and at sea.

“The lengthy duration of the illegal incursion, which lasted about 21 hours, is something new. …The latest serious development involved a Spanish state vessel remaining in British waters overnight and ignoring the warnings to get out issued by the Royal Navy. Indeed, the vessel came within 250 metres of the entrance to Gibraltar Harbour and sailed in close proximity to other ships at anchor in the Bay of Gibraltar. This led to a separate warning issued to them by the Gibraltar Port Authority on the grounds of safety to shipping.”

So the “Ramon Margalef” arrived on Monday, was ordered to leave by the Royal Navy which she refused to do, she stayed in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters overnight yet when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mark Simmonds, addressed the House of Commons on Gibraltar at 11.15 on the Tuesday, (12.15 Gibraltar time) he failed to mention it.

There can only be two explanations for his actions. The first is that he was totally unaware of what was happening in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters in which case why is he the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs?

The second is that he deliberately misled the House on such an important matter by acting as if nothing had happened. If that is the case why is he still the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs?

(The Hansard text can be found at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131119/halltext/131119h0001.htm#13111939000001).

TIME TO DUMP THE TREATY

This year is the 300 th anniversary of the Treaty of Utrecht. Instead of holding events to commemorate not celebrate the signing of the same our efforts would have been better expended in dumping it in the international courts of law.

The Treaty of Utrecht is now a dusty historical document. The only bits that is clung to by Spain are the paragraphs relating to Gibraltar. However it is clear also that the Foreign Office in London also honours this discredited piece of parchment as has been demonstrated at the UN.

I also sure there is a cupboard in the archives of the Foreign Office in which a copy of the Treaty of Utrecht is kept, next to the packet of Hobnobs. On the anniversary of its signing each year the Spanish Ambassador will be summoned to Whitehall and will be accompanied to the cupboard by a high ranking Mandarin, an Old Etonian and High Anglican, and together they will sing hosannas, genuflect then wave incense before the text. They’ll then have a Hobnob each and sip a cup of English Breakfast tea.

This old battered document has a negative impact on the relations between London and Gibraltar. For all the political rhetoric by the British Government and our own over Gibraltarians right to self-determine their own future, there will be those who wave the Treaty and speak in respectful tones of its wording. It is the hooded cobra weaving before Gibraltarians eyes holding us in its glare and undermining Gibraltar’s future security.

We are constantly told by members of our Government and Gibraltarian legal eagles who know about such things that the Treaty of Utrecht would not stand up in an international court of law. We were told this week that Spain will not take its claim over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters to law because it knows it would lose. This is nothing new. We have known for years that Spanish lawyers who deal in international law have said that the Treaty would be laughed out of court. If this is so then why has not the Gibraltar Government of the day grasped this nettle and had it consigned to the history books by going to court so Gibraltarians can get on with their lives without Madrid quoting its claims left, right and centre.

Taking the Treaty to court is a win – win situation. If the court indeed backed the Treaty and ruled it should stand then all we would have to do is ensure that the links between Gibraltar and Britain are so Rock solid it would never be “returned” to Spain. Integration on the style of Ceuta and Melilla comes to mind. If on the other hand the court comes down on the side of the opinion of the majority of international lawyers and the Treaty is indeed dead, then so too are Spain’s claims over Gibraltar.

Until the day such a court ruling is sought, and Madrid’s Fascist ambitions over Gibraltar and its people are shown to be just that, then Gibraltarians will live in uncertainty. It will be the fault of Gibraltar because we have done nothing to end this farce.

COULD GIBRALTAR BE PART OF A FEDERAL UK

Yesterday I wrote of the proposed Third Way in Cataluña which would see the region not stay as part of the Spanish State as at present, not becoming independent either, but under a new Constitution becoming a federal State.

Germany is a federal state, Spain could go the same way, but what about the UK and what implications could this have for Gibraltar?

It has to be said there is no debate in the UK at present for a federal state but things have to change. Currently the parliamentary system is a mess. The Westminster Parliament and the British Government speaks for the nation. However Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own parliaments whatever they might be called. England does not: it is ruled by Westminster and whilst Scottish, Welsh and Irish MPs can speak and vote on English matters, English MPs have no say in their respective regional parliaments. It is an unsustainable situation and will have to change.

That change may come in less than a year from now when Scotland holds its independence referendum in September. If Scotland votes for independence then we shall see a break up of the United Kingdom. However if Scotland stays expect to see additional powers for its government and parliament.

Now there are those who have campaigned for Gibraltar to be integrated with Britain. However if that came to pass Gibraltar would be little more than another UK county. However if the UK moves to a parliament for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with a separate Westminster Parliament and Government taking decisions on defence, foreign affairs etc then we have an interesting situation. In essence that is the status quo between the UK and Gibraltar now.

So if the UK became in reality a federation with English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish parliaments deciding the bread and butter issues could or should Gibraltar ask to join that system? Could or should Gibraltar become a federal State in a federal Britain? The British Government would still boss foreign affairs, defence, the key finances of the nation but that is no different from now as far as Gibraltar is concerned.

Gibraltar would still run its own economy and affairs through its own government and parliament as now. Our parliament and government would be on an equal footing to those of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The way the UK is governed is going to have to change because sooner or later the people of England, which is the key component, are going to become increasing fed up with the other regions being given more powers at the same time as having a one-sided say in their affairs.

It could present an opportunity for Gibraltar, not to integrate with the UK, but to take on a federal status with Britain. What could work for Cataluña with Spain could be our future security in a federal UK in an increasingly federal Europe.

SIMON: YOU DIDN’T MENTION GIBRALTAR

The UK has a new ambassador in Spain whose remit also extends to Andorra. He is Simon Manley CMG who replaces Giles Paxman. Paxman was best known for being Jeremy’s brother and I will leave it to you to decide whether he defended Gibraltar well in Madrid or not.

Simon Manley arrives as we await our new Governor of Gibraltar. I believe he will sail into the harbour sometime this month. Lieutenant-General Sir James Dutton is a former Royal Marine who has served his country in some of the hot spots of the world such as the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. He is battle tested and so will no doubt happily slip in to the chair vacated by Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns.

It is my understanding that Sir Adrian and Sir James are old friends and hence no doubt apart from the formal briefings our current governor has well and truly marked the cards of his successor. Their rank and military records show these are not men who seek a comfy billet and in the diplomatic world Gibraltar has never been that.

So whilst our men, perhaps one day we shall even get a woman, are battle hardened our Man in Madrid comes from a totally different background. Before being posted to Madrid, Simon Manley was Director Europe at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from 2011 to 2013, where he was responsible for policy towards the EU, the UK’s bilateral relations with its European partners, and the FCO’s network of 57 European posts and more than 2000 staff. So in Gibraltar we continue with the rarely moved from tradition of men of war whilst in Madrid we have a man who no doubted commanded the cocktail circuit.

So what did Simon Manley have to say for himself as he took over as Ambassador? He stated: “I am delighted to be here in Spain and look forward to strengthening our broad and deep bilateral relationship. Spain is a key ally within the European Union and NATO and is one of our most important trading partners.

“Creating sustainable growth is a priority for both the UK and Spain. I’m delighted that some 400 Spanish companies are registered in the UK and investors such as Santander, Telefónica, Iberdrola and Ferrovial have made Spain our sixth largest inward investor, totalling 40 billion pounds of Foreign Direct Investment stock at the end of 2011.

“Meanwhile, British companies exported 8.27 billion pounds (9.7 billion euros) of goods and service to Spain, making it the UK’s eighth largest export market.”

  

“I am excited by the prospects for cooperation and growth in sectors like energy, car manufacturing and life sciences that are so important for future growth.

“Liberalising trade both within the European Union and beyond it is a vital enabler to create jobs and growth. As two open economies with strong Atlantic ties, the UK and Spain share a common commitment to secure an ambitious trade agreement between the EU and the US and to ensure that the EU is at the forefront of moves to free up world trade.”

Mr Manley also highlighted the importance of British citizens in Spain.

“More than 13 million Britons visit Spain every year, generating 1 per cent of Spain’s GDP. Some 800,000 have made Spain their home permanently or for part of the year, and the UK remains the largest foreign investor in Spain’s property market. I’m impressed by how the British Consulates across Spain work with Spanish partners to do an excellent job of assisting British nationals.” 

All very well and good and his words no doubt went down a storm in Madrid and at the Foreign Office. However what Simon Manley failed to mention once was Gibraltar which is currently the hot topic between the UK and Spain. He failed to mention part of his job would be to fight our corner in Madrid on behalf of his boss the Foreign Secretary William Hague and the Prime Minister David Cameron who are both bullish in our defence.

I am sure that in times of crisis, which is virtually every day at the moment, the telephone lines between the Convent and the British Embassy in Madrid are hot (probably bugged too). Perhaps Sir Adrian before he heads off for a well earned retirement could do us one last favour and tell Simon Manley the facts of life in these parts. The Sir Adrians and Sir James’s of this world are normally straight talkers: so Simon need to know that being the UK’s Ambassador to Madrid is more than just a trade mission. He can battle to improve trade but he also has to battle for Gibraltar.

COFFEE WITH SIR GRAHAM

Whenever I am in Brussels, which to be honest isn’t that often, I always try and touch base with our Lib Dem Euro MP, Sir Graham Watson. I have described Graham many times as our man at the EU because of our six elected MEPs he is by far the most proactive on our behalf.

I met up with him for coffee last Thursday before he headed off for a busy Brussels day and then flew home to his constituency, which could be anywhere in the South West of England or indeed Gibraltar.

I was taken up to Graham’s office by Sonia, one of his hardworking team. Sonia has skills involving throwing coffee cups in to the air, which are rare even at the EU, but my lips are sealed. However she gave an interesting insight in to Graham’s widespread constituency.

Euro MPs are allowed to claim for travel to and from their constituencies. However she was having a lot of trouble with the EU’s fees office over Graham’s travel to Gibraltar. Officials could not understand why the UK MEP for the South West of England was flying to Gibraltar and even on occasions to Málaga. There is no other constituency of this type in the EU and of our six Euro MPs Graham is a frequent visitor whilst the others are not.

Needless to say the two key topics on our agenda over coffee were EU related. The awaited report by the EU inspectors on the summer border chaos and the Commission’s State Aid enquiry.

There is still no word on the outcome of the inspection at our border although it took place around a month ago. However I suspect four weeks is not a long time in Brussels. Graham has been pushing for the report to be issued and is very bullish on what he believes should be its conclusions. Graham here has two advantages: he has sat in the queues himself and he knows how the EU works so he hopes justice is done and is seen to be done in Gibraltar’s favour.

The European Commission’s decision on starting a State Aid enquiry had just been announced and was welcomed by our own Government who believe we are in a good place. Indeed anybody who listened to our Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, speak on BBC Radio Four’s Today programme at the crack of dawn on Monday will know he totally disarmed what was set to be an aggressive attack from his business affairs interviewer.

Graham had been monitoring the Twitterati in Gibraltar who had smelt a rat in that it was a Spanish Commissioner who would be investigating our affairs. It could not be any other way as Joaquín Almunia is the EC Commissioner in charge of this specific matter and the EC has to investigate a complaint when it is laid.

However as I pointed out to Graham and have written here previously Joaquín Almunia is hardly flavour of the month in Madrid and is not on Rajoy’s Christmas card list. In July he declared that Spain’s ship yard subsidies were illegal and had to be repaid with the industry warning that 87,000 jobs could be put at risk, many in Almunia’s home territory. The figure paid out in subsidies is 2.8 billion euros but the figure to be repaid, which could be 20 per cent less, has yet to be fixed. When you are an EC Commissioner you serve the EU not the country that appointed you.

The elephant in the room whilst we sipped coffee and chatted was would Graham be here this time next year. Indeed I had just attended in Brussels a PES election strategy meeting designed to get socialists in and others including Lib Dems out. Interestingly though when I voiced my support for Graham to PES members it was clearly obvious he was highly regarded in the socialist camp.

The South West of England constituency of which Gibraltar is part is not typical of the UK. Graham admits this will probably be his hardest fought election yet. The Lib Dems are on the slide and it remains to be seen how UKIP and the Conservatives will do in a Euro seat where they hold two and three seats respectively. I along with many others will be working to ensure one of those seats at least goes to Labour. None-the-less I will also be supporting Sir Graham Watson the Man because I believe if he loses his seat, Gibraltar will lose its most powerful advocate in Brussels.

FEETHAM: GIBRALTAR ESPAÑOL’S PIN-UP BOY

Around mid-morning last Wednesday I was talking to colleagues from Rumanian and Poland at the Europcom 2013 Conference at the EU’s Committee of the Regions. The red light on my Blackberry started to flash and as I opened up the email my face obviously changed from happy chatter to stunned silence. It was significantly different enough for my colleagues to ask was everything was alright. I assured them it was but hurriedly moved away.

What I had seen on the Blackberry screen was the Gibraltar Español banner beneath which was a bizarre photograph of the GSD Leader Daniel Feetham. Then the message from Gibraltar Español itself: “#Gibraltar Daniel Feetham critica el ataque a #España en la ONU de Fabian Picardo y Denis Matthews. parece que por fin empieza a aparecer gente cuerda en la Colonia.” You can imagine the comments by the boys and girls who support Gibraltar Español that followed.

The article in the Spanish media accompanying the Gibraltar Español piece continued: “El líder de la oposición Daniel Feetham ha criticado tanto al Gobierno como al grupo en Pro de la Autodeterminación SDGG por las acusaciones que han realizado en su reciente visita a las Naciones Unidas.

Las acusaciones contra España de conducir una campaña de odio contra los gibraltareños las cataloga de inadecuadas en un momento en que Gibraltar está buscando el diálogo.

“El líder GSD ha dicho que  “el Gobierno debe mantener la cabeza ” y fue crítico con las acusaciones que Fabian Picardo planteó a la Comisión del IV Comité de la ONU.

“Así mismo calificó de “insensibles” las declaraciones hechas por el presidente del SDGG Denis Matthews , cuando sugirió que las acciones de España se podían recoger en una definición de la UE contra el terrorismo.”

Well the rest you know!

The fact that I was 1,000 miles from Gibraltar in Brussels at the time is significant because this was not a parish pump issue but impacted on our standing around the world.

When the latest crisis with Spain started in August the Opposition had two real options. The first was to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Government or the second was to stay silently so as not to rock the boat. They opted for the second but as their sullen attendance at National Day, in stark contrast to Prime Minister David Cameron’s strong message of support” showed they were not happy bunnies.

So for the past months we have had the scenario where our Government, supported by the people of Gibraltar and backed 100 per cent by all major political parties in the UK have faced down Spain. There was no chink in our armour and the threats against our Chief Minister intensified as Madrid’s frustration grew. Then enter Daniel Feetham who did not rock the boat he capsized it.

Let’s move on to last Thursday when our Government issued a statement stating “the Opposition regarding criticism of Mr Feetham on Facebook is” involved in “a feeble attempt to turn the tables after he has put his foot his foot in it. The plain fact is that the Opposition's criticism of the Chief Minister's speech at the United Nations has been a monumental error of judgement.”

Some would judge that was an understatement.

It continues: “Members of the GSD have written on social media saying they are leaving the party as a result of Mr Feetham's leadership and in particular his handling of this matter.”

Their words not mine.

However what was jaw dropping was the Opposition contention the call on “the Government to condemn criticism of Mr Feetham, when he has not even had the decency to formally condemn the poisonous attacks against Gibraltar in general and Mr Picardo in particular, including the constant death threats and abuse against him, that have been ongoing in Spain for over two months.”

I couldn’t have written it better myself.

Feetham’s future will be decided in the near future by the GSD or maybe by the people of Gibraltar. The honourable decision for him would be to resign but then if honour was the criteria he wouldn’t have wrecked the boat in the first place. If it’s the latter then it will be the Chief Minister’s call. He will have to decide what impact the Opposition Leader’s words have had in Spain. If he feels the damage is severe then he may feel it is necessary to call a snap general election and ask the people of Gibraltar to endorse his actions as their elected leader. It will give Feetham the platform to openly voice his vision of his Gibraltar which only the PP seems to share. It will be left to the people will decide whether “el Gobierno debe mantener la cabeza ” – Fabian Picardo.