Gibraltar-Spain Border Checks

Debate between Andrew Rosindell and Anneliese Dodds

Monday 14th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)]

(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs if he will make a statement on the decision by the Spanish authorities to implement border and passport checks at the frontier with Gibraltar on 10 October.

[The Minister for Development (Anneliese Dodds)]

Before I begin, I would like to associate myself with the remarks made across the House a few moments ago, after the passing of Alex Salmond. My thoughts and sympathies are with his family.

I thank the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) for his question. I am responding because my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty)—the Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories—is in Germany on Government business.

The Government are aware that late on Thursday 10 October, Spanish border officers increased checks on permanent residents of Gibraltar crossing into Spain from Gibraltar. The change in process involved stamping the passports of all non-EU nationals crossing the border. It went against the informal bridging measures in place since EU exit and was made without warning. The increased checks were briefly reciprocated the following morning by His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar, who have full responsibility for immigration matters. That led to some disruption on the Spanish side of the border.

My hon. Friend the Minister contacted his Spanish counterpart, Fernando Sampedro, State Secretary for the EU, in relation to this change in process. In parallel, the UK’s ambassador to Spain engaged with the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. We understand that the change in process was instigated locally by a Spanish border official. The matter was dealt with swiftly by Spain and usual border arrangements resumed. We are grateful to the Government of Spain for the continued implementation of the informal bridging measures. We are in close touch with the Government of Gibraltar, including Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, and we will continue to monitor the situation. It is in all our interests that the border between Gibraltar and Spain operates smoothly.

The Government, working with the Government of Gibraltar, are committed to finalising a UK-EU agreement in respect of Gibraltar as soon as possible. That would bring certainty for the people of the region and secure future prosperity. We remain steadfast in our support for Gibraltar, and we will only agree to terms that the Government of Gibraltar are content with. Schengen border checks at the start of the EU entry-exit system were always expected, and that is one reason why we are working so hard to achieve a deal. The Government continue to work with the Government of Gibraltar on how best to mitigate the impacts of border disruption should an agreement with the EU not be possible.

Finally, I understand that today is Gibraltar Day, when the Government of Gibraltar celebrate the links between Gibraltar and the UK. I wish them every success with their various events.

--- Later in debate ---

[Andrew Rosindell]

I thank the Minister for her response, but the people of Gibraltar have long memories. When Labour was last in power, the Blair Government attempted to agree a joint sovereignty deal with Spain behind the backs of the Gibraltarians and without their consent. It was all about appeasing Spain and the European Union, and some of us fear that the same thing could happen this time. Even if Spain’s decision to effectively impose a hard border on the frontier on 10 October was not made centrally, the fact that this extreme measure was taken at all is incredibly concerning, and it is a warning of what is to come if a solid bilateral agreement is not reached in the coming weeks.

If a hard border is implemented, there are no winners: the people of Spain and Gibraltar both suffer. The fact that, despite this, Spain continues to weaponise the frontier with the aim of exercising authority over sovereign British territory is morally and constitutionally reprehensible. There can be no Spanish boots on the Rock—that must be non-negotiable. The people of Gibraltar have been bullied by the Spanish authorities over many decades, and this latest infraction comes at a critical time in the negotiations over the future of the frontier, with the new Schengen area entry-exit control system on the horizon. As such, does the Minister agree that any agreement must fully acknowledge that Gibraltar is 100% British?

The people of Gibraltar have made it abundantly clear that they reject any suggestion of Spanish sovereignty by voting to remain British. His Majesty’s Government have a duty to stand by the loyal people of Gibraltar, whatever it takes: there can be no weakening of British sovereignty, and the Gibraltarians’ right to self-determination must be upheld. With that in mind, and following the Government’s betrayal of the British Chagossian people only last week, will the Minister raise this incident with her counterpart in Madrid as a matter of urgency; confirm that she will never capitulate in any negotiation to Spain’s demands to allow Spanish boots on Gibraltarian soil; and guarantee the Government’s steadfast loyalty to the sovereign British overseas territory of Gibraltar and its people?

[Anneliese Dodds]

I have to say that I regret the tone adopted by the hon. Gentleman. Many of us in this House are friends of our overseas territories and very much respect their right to sovereignty. In that context, it is critical that we always focus on the facts of the matter and do not seek to obtain party political advantage from them. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will have seen the comments of the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, which could not have been clearer on this matter. It is inappropriate to politicise such matters.

The UK Government could not have been clearer that we are confident of British sovereignty over the whole of Gibraltar, including British Gibraltar territorial waters. We are steadfast in our support for Gibraltar, and the UK Government will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes. We will never enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content; that double lock is safe with this Government, and we are fully committed to it.