'Rocklike resistance' to Spanish claims on Gibraltar, says Boris Johnson

Britain will maintain "a completely implacable, marmoreal and rocklike resistance" to Spanish claims for any change in the sovereignty of Gibraltar after Brexit, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said yesterday.

In doing so, he compared himself to movie mafia boss Don Vito Corleone dismissing a proposal from a fellow-mobster as he told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee how he had rejected pressure from Madrid to discuss the issue.

"I remember the Spanish foreign minister raised it with me and... you remember Marlon Brando in The Godfather when he said: 'Mr Barzini, I must tell you I'm sorry my answer is No'," Mr Johnson said.

Boris Johnson does a Marlon Brando impression in response to a Q about Gibraltar pic.twitter.com/UozmLDWRnw

— Esther Webber (@estwebber) October 13, 2016

The Foreign Secretary's comments came as Prime Minister Theresa May visited Madrid for talks with her Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy on Anglo-Spanish relations and the process of Britain leaving the EU.

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