No menace to British sovereignty over Gibraltar deal, says David Lammy

British sovereignty over Gibraltar stays “sacrosanct”, the international secretary has mentioned, after the UK agreed a take care of the European Union over the territory’s post-Brexit future.

David Lammy advised the Home of Commons the settlement included a clause “explicitly defending our sovereignty”.

The deal removes checks on folks and items crossing the Gibraltar-Spain border.

Nonetheless, some MPs raised issues Spanish border officers would have the ability to deny entry to UK residents flying into the British Abroad Territory.

For travellers arriving at Gibraltar airport, passport checks might be carried out by each Gibraltarian and Spanish officers.

That is just like the system in place for Eurostar passengers at London’s St Pancras station, the place travellers cross via each British and French passport management earlier than boarding worldwide trains.

This implies it is going to be attainable for arrivals to proceed their journey from Gibraltar into Spain and the remainder of the EU with out additional checks.

However Lammy insisted Gibraltar wouldn’t be becoming a member of the Schengen free journey space – 26 European states which have abolished passport management at their mutual border so folks can journey freely.

Schengen nations even have frequent guidelines on asylum and nations whose nationals require visas.

Lammy mentioned it was “faux information” that Gibraltar can be becoming a member of Schengen and “this was by no means on the desk”.

“Immigration, policing and justice in Gibraltar will stay the duties of Gibraltar’s authorities,” he added.

Talks on the principles governing the border between Spain and Gibraltar – a 2.6 sq. mile headland to the south of the nation – have been ongoing for the reason that UK left the EU in 2020.

The problem had been a key sticking level, which has remained unresolved since Brexit.

MPs broadly welcomed the deal, which has been hailed as “historic” by Gibraltar, Spain and the EU.

Giving a press release within the Commons, Lammy mentioned Labour was “fixing the issues leftover from the final [Conservative] authorities and their skinny Brexit deal”.

He added that the deal “removes one other impediment to nearer ties with our EU pals” and “supplies a lot wanted certainty for folks and companies in Gibraltar”.

An estimated 15,000 folks cross the Gibraltar-Spain border each day for work and leisure.

Presently, Gibraltar residents can cross utilizing residence playing cards without having to have their passports stamped, whereas Spanish residents can cross utilizing a authorities ID card.

However there have been issues this might finish with the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit system later this 12 months, inflicting large delays on the border.

Lammy mentioned with no deal each passport and all items would must be checked resulting in “chaos and backlogs, endangering livelihoods of British residents in Gibraltar, wrecking the territory’s economic system and probably costing a whole lot of billions of kilos a 12 months, inserting stress in the end on the UK taxpayer to select up the invoice”.

The subsequent step is for a full authorized textual content to be finalised, which Lammy mentioned all events have been “dedicated to finishing as shortly as attainable”.

The Conservatives have mentioned they are going to study the the ultimate treaty to make sure it meets their crimson traces, together with that it safeguards the sovereignty and rights of Gibraltarians.

Shadow international secretary Priti Patel additionally questioned whether or not Spanish officers would have the ability to cease British residents coming to remain in Gibraltar.

Lammy insisted the one distinction to what Conservative ministers had beforehand been negotiating was the sovereignty clause, which he mentioned would guarantee there was no query over Gibraltar’s standing.

The UK has had sovereignty over Gibraltar since 1713, though that is disputed by Spain, who declare the territory as their very own.

Public opinion in Gibraltar, which has a inhabitants of round 32,000, is in favour of retaining British sovereignty. The latest referendum, held in 2002, noticed virtually 99% of voters reject a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain.

The UK mentioned there would even be full operational autonomy for the UK’s army’s amenities in Gibraltar, the place the airport is run by the Ministry of Defence and hosts an RAF base.

Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Helen Maguire welcomed the settlement, whereas calling for Parliament to get the chance to scrutinise and vote on it.

Nonetheless, Reform UK have described the deal as a “give up”.

Deputy chief Richard Tice raised issues Spanish border officers would have “an efficient veto” on British residents from the UK touchdown in Gibraltar.

Lammy clarified that if there was an alert in relation to an arrival Spanish border guards and police would work alongside Gibraltarian police.

A person would have the fitting to authorized recommendation and have the ability to both return to their nation of origin or go to Spain to face questions.