Former Governors write to Hammond over Gib

Six of Gibraltar’s former Governors have written to Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond urging him to provide “reassurance and clarification” of British Government policy toward Gibraltar after the Brexit vote.

The letter, which was copied to Prime Minister David Cameron, calls on the British Government to renew its commitment to uphold the sovereignty of Gibraltar in accordance with the wishes of the people of Gibraltar.

It also urges the British Government to “make it plain” that the Government of Gibraltar will be invited to participate in the forthcoming negotiations defining the new relationship between the UK - and hence Gibraltar - and the EU.

The former Governors also want London to accept the Chief Minister's proposal to establish a common and single market between Gibraltar and the UK.

Finally, they ask the British Government to make it clear to the Spanish Government that it would be “totally unacceptable” to impose any unreasonable controls on the frontier during the negotiations with the EU.

The letter was sent by Lord Luce with the support of Sir David Durie, Sir Francis Richards, Lieutenant General Sir Robert Fulton, Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns and Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton.

Lord Luce’s office said it had not been possible to contact another of Gibraltar’s Governors, Sir John Chapple, within the timeframe that the latter was prepared and sent, but that he would almost certainly have signed it too.