May pledges Rock solid support
The outcome of the recent EU referendum will not affect the UK Government’s ‘steadfast’ commitment to Gibraltar and its people, British Prime Minister Theresa May has said.
Mrs May pledged her new administration’s full support to Gibraltar in a private letter to the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, parts of which were released yesterday.
In her reply to a letter from Mr Picardo, Mrs May also reiterated the British Government’s double lock commitment to Gibraltar’s sovereignty.
She said: “We will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their wishes not will we enter into any process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.”
“It will take some time for our future relationship with the EU to become clear but I can assure you that there will be no immediate changes in Gibraltar’s circumstances, neither in the way people travel nor how services are sold.”
Finally, the Prime Minister referred to Mr Picardo’s earlier description of David Cameron as “one of Gibraltar’s greatest champions.”
In her response, Theresa May stressed: “I can assure you that this support will continue while I am in Downing Street.”
Mr Picardo, said: “I was pleased to have an early opportunity to meet the Prime Minster on 13 July and I am delighted with the detailed written reply I have received from her regarding various matters which are of concern to my Government and, indeed, to the people of Gibraltar.”
“This has been an excellent start to the relationship between my Government and that of Theresa May and I very much look forward to working with her in the months and years to come.”