Border pressure would be ‘friendly fire’ on Spanish workers, Feetham says

Pressure from Spain at the border in the event of a Brexit would be like justifying ‘friendly fire’ on Spanish workers, Opposition leader Daniel Feetham said yesterday.

And if Britons vote to leave, Gibraltar must also be alert to any Spanish attempt to gain ground on sovereignty by leaning on the UK as it negotiates a new relationship with the EU, he added.

Mr Feetham was reacting to comments from a Spanish official who told The Times that Madrid would no longer have to respect directives from Brussels on the free movement of capital, goods and labour across the border, to the point it could even close it.

Mr Feetham told the Chronicle that the Opposition had long ago identified the potential danger of Spain using the border against Gibraltar in the event of a UK withdrawal from the EU.

But he added that the GSD was also concerned Spain might pressure the UK to make concessions on Gibraltar after a Brexit vote as Britain attempts to negotiate access to the internal market.

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