The Tories have condemned a fresh giveaway of powers to Brussels over more sovereign British territory.
Keir Starmer has been accused of yet another betrayal of British overseas territory as he hands key powers to Brussels. In yet another Brexit sell-out, the Government is planning to hand Spanish border guards complete say over whether British citizens can enter the territory.
Those coming and going from the rock will be forced to show their passports twice, once to Gibraltarian guards and again to Spanish guards, essentially giving Madrid a veto over whether Brits can enter the territory. Sir Iain Duncan Smith blasted the deal as a “ridiculous disaster” and yet more “cowardly posturing” by Sir Keir in his efforts to get a fresh deal with the EU. He fumed: “They’re using Gibraltar as a lever to get themselves back closer to Europe. He wants to undo Brexit.”
Starmer welcomes the Spanish Prime Minister (Image: Getty)
Gibraltar is sovereign British territory (Image: Getty)
“The whole plan of this Labour Government who hated Brexit is that over a period of time, it will become impossible for us not to rejoin.”
Dame Priti Patel, the Tories’ shadow Foreign Secretary, added: “Keir Starmer will be remembered for raiding the pockets of hard pressed taxpayers to hand over billions of pounds to Brussels, and for his unpicking of Brexit. And just this week he’s signed us up to the Erasmus scheme at an another astronomical price tag.
“The deal with Gibraltar will, like everything this Labour Government touches, require forensic scrutiny as they cannot be trusted to serve our national interest and the public will need assurance that they have not once again caved to EU demands.”
Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group, compared the deal to the surrender treaty negotiated by this government over the Chagos Islands, which will see the overseas territory handed to Mauritius.
The shadow defence minister slammed: “First a sell-out on Chagos and now an infringement of the rights of Gibraltarians, and that hard on the heels of paying over the odds to re-enter the EU’s Erasmus scheme.
“I have argued before that ‘Starmer Remains a Remainer’ at heart but now he’s not even bothering to hide it – he’s going to try and take us back in.”
Sir Iain Duncan Smith slammed the news (Image: Getty)
Gibraltar will now begin functioning like a member of the EU Schengen zone of passport-free movement.
UK citizens hoping to move to the rock will also have to have their application vetted by Spanish authorities.
According to the Telegraph, it is not yet known whether sovereignty over policing, immigration and justice in Gibraltar has made it into Sir Keir’s new treaty.
A European Commission spokesman said intensive talks with the British government had led to a breakthrough deal on the 12th December.
He said: “The main objective of the future agreement is to secure the future prosperity of the whole region.
“This will be done by removing all physical barriers to the movement of persons and goods between Spain and Gibraltar, while preserving the Schengen area, the EU single market and customs union.”
The Gibraltar government said it welcome the “positive conclusion” of the negotiation.
Downing Street has been approached for comment.
