Margallo acknowledges UK’s ‘very firm’ stance on sovereignty

Spain’s acting Foreign Minister, José Manuel García-Margallo, acknowledged yesterday that Britain had adopted a “very firm” position in its defence of the wishes of the Gibraltarians to remain British.

He did so as Chief Minister Fabian Picardo insisted once again that Gibraltarians would never “surrender” the British sovereignty of the Rock.

In an opinion piece published in Spain today, Mr Picardo underlined Gibraltar’s response to the Spain co-sovereignty proposal and said Sr García-Margallo was “rubbing his hands” at the prospect of Brexit.

But the Spanish flag, Mr Picardo added, was now “further than ever” from flying over the Rock, “and more-so if that’s possible”.

Sr García-Margallo was speaking in Brussels ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers and on the eve of his visit today to the Campo de Gibraltar, where he is due to speak at a lunch organised by media organisation Grupo Joly, whose publications include Europa Sur newspaper.

Speaking to reporters, he again defended Spain’s co-sovereignty proposal as “the only solution” by which Gibraltar could retain access to the EU, despite this having been firmly rejected by Gibraltar.

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