Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel claimed: “A Treaty draft has been agreed, but Labour ministers are not bringing it to Parliament yet.”
Outrage is simmering over claims that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has struck a deal with the EU and Spain which could erode British sovereignty over Gibraltar. Tory heavyweights are slamming the move, which has echoes of the contentious handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, as a “dodgy cover-up,” warning it hands unprecedented powers to Spanish and EU officials while sidelining UK Parliament.
The bombshell comes amid fears Gibraltar – a strategic British Overseas Territory seized from Spain in 1704 and held under the Treaty of Utrecht since 1713 – could face border controls policed by Madrid, limiting access for British nationals and subjecting the Rock to EU laws. Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “A Treaty draft has been agreed, but Labour ministers are not bringing it to Parliament yet.”
The Rock of Gibraltar and PM Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel (Image: Getty)
“We already know that the claims previously made by Labour about the inclusion of sovereignty clauses have fallen apart, while there are also serious concerns about the powers the Spanish and EU will be able to exercise and the limits that could be placed on British nationals visiting Gibraltar.”
She told GB News: “This is causing uncertainty that must be addressed by Labour publishing the Treaty so we can review and scrutinise it. With Labour seeking to reverse Brexit with their so-called EU reset, until they come clean with the treaty, it will seem like they are involved in a dodgy cover-up and have something to hide.”
Polls show Gibraltarians overwhelmingly favour British rule, but Dame Priti warned: “Labour has serious questions to answer about the Treaty they’ve negotiated.” With the EU Council eyeing a signature in six weeks, demands for transparency are mounting. Tories vow to fight what they fear will be a “surrender” by Sir Keir, branding it another Brexit betrayal.
The 700-page treaty, negotiated in secrecy, is set for EU release this week, but British MPs remain in the dark. Shadow Minister Wendy Morton blasted the process as “outrageous,” insisting: “For this Labour Government to leave MPs without any chance to read through a 700+ page document and comment as the public would expect is completely unreasonable.”
The deal allegedly stems from a February 10 briefing where Gibraltar’s government confidentially updated its opposition on the agreement. Think tank Facts4EU, which shared details with the outlet, revealed the EU Commission plans to fast-track the pact as “EU-only,” bypassing ratification by all 27 member states for quicker enforcement.
The deal allegedly stems from a February 10 briefing where Gibraltar’s government confidentially updated its opposition on the agreement. Think tank Facts4EU, which shared details with the outlet, revealed the EU Commission plans to fast-track the pact as “EU-only,” bypassing ratification by all 27 member states for quicker enforcement
This follows Labour’s June 2025 concession allowing Spanish guards to police Gibraltar’s border, introducing dual checks for air arrivals and committing to EU-aligned rules on state aid, taxation, labour, environment, and anti-money laundering. Critics argue this drags Gibraltar into the EU’s orbit, with the UK footing the bill for regional “cohesion” and training.
The controversy mirrors the Chagos debacle overseen by Sir Keir, where the PM faces calls to reverse the sovereignty transfer amid U.S. concerns over a key military base. Gibraltar hosts a vital UK naval facility at the Mediterranean’s gateway, heightening stakes.
Despite pledges from ex-Foreign Secretary David Lammy for full parliamentary scrutiny, Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds confirmed the deal’s completion in a Madrid meeting, saying: “The Treaty will obviously be published shortly… I’m delighted and pleased that the agreement has been reached.”
An FCDO spokesperson said: “The Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, gave a briefing on the Treaty to the Shadow Foreign Secretary as recently as January 12. The UK is continuing to work alongside the Government of Gibraltar to finalise the treaty text, and we have consistently made clear that the Treaty will be laid before Parliament for scrutiny in the normal way, once it has been finalised.”
Express.co.uk has also contacted the Gibraltarian government for comment.
