Open Letter to the Chief Minister the Hon. Fabian Picardo QC; MP
Dear Chief Minister,
We are publishing this open letter since we know you are fully conversant with our Movement’s proposals for Representation in Westminster.
Firstly we congratulate your Government in successfully promoting the visit of Prime Minister the Hon. David Cameron to Gibraltar for the then approaching EU Referendum.
The reaction from Spain to the Prime Minister’s visit to Gibraltar, as has the statements made in the C24 in the UN, has shown, in no uncertain way that our Movement’s proposal for Representation at Westminster, by making Gibraltar an Autonomous Region of the UK, for Electoral purposes, would be the safest and correct one.
We also wish you well with your efforts to align Gibraltar with other parts of the UK, those regions who overwhelmingly voted to Remain ‘IN’ the EU.
GIBRALTAR MUST GO WHERE BRITAIN GOES.
The unfortunate BREXIT win has placed Gibraltar outside the safety boundaries that the EU provided that served as a restraining force on Spain’s aggressive designs on Gibraltar. With Brexit Gibraltar finds itself in uncharted waters as far as Spain’s designs are concerned. We think that your quick response in exploring all available avenues to improve on any negative effects of Brexit is highly commendable.
We have always maintained that Gibraltar must go where Britain goes, this could not be more relevant than now; it would be the height of folly to attempt to go it alone! Gibraltar will need protection at International level and for this we need the services of UK Diplomats on Foreign Affairs.
In the new scenario that will be Britain, when negotiations start on application of article 50 we cannot rely on verbal ‘assurances’, in this new scenario outside Europe the ‘protection’ will be found only when all changes or special concessions to Britain should apply in full to Gibraltar. But if Gibraltar becomes an Autonomous Region of the UK with the STATUS of Devolved Integration, all the changes agreed to would apply to Gibraltar. Devolved Integration will do justice to Gibraltar’s historical British heritage, retain the devolution of powers gained up to now.
It is the next legitimate step and this can be achieved by getting Representation in Parliament which will address this Parliamentary deficit, where Gibraltar has no voice in its own Mother Parliament as Full British Citizens.
The simplest way to achieve this is by applying to enfranchise Gibraltar to vote in the UK General Elections through an enfranchisement Bill just as was done for the EU vote.
All other European Countries with Overseas territories have integrated their Territories into the Motherland. Portugal, France, Holland, Spain and Denmark.
Becoming a Region of Britain would give Gibraltar greater political security since the Link between the UK and Gibraltar would be strengthened in a tangible and visible way by restoring Gibraltar’s status to what it was at the very beginning of its British existence.
And to repeat, it also means that when Britain negotiates with Europe the terms for leaving Europe whatever deals are achieved will automatically apply to Gibraltar.
A GOOD IDEA NEVER DIES.
This proposal is not new to you since over the last four years we have met with you, at various meetings, we have presented our proposal to you, and other members of HMGOG, that Representation in Westminster is nothing less than A FOURTH OPTION emanating from the United Nations General Assembly resolution 1541 (XV) of 1961. Our Fourth Option arises out of the principal Option of Integration. For this reason we have called this new status a Devolved Integration Option, Devolved because we would keep all the Devolved powers attained in the 1969 and 2006 Constitutions that makes Gibraltar autonomous and internally self-governing.
If Gibraltar should choose this Option the International squabbling over Gibraltar’s Status (Colony or not Colony) should stop, first with the UN and then with Spain since Spain holds overseas territories that are fully integrated with the mainland.
POLITICAL WILL REQUIRED
Gibraltar in the past obtained 1) Full British Citizenship after Britain twice refused that Status for Gibraltarians 2) Britain also refused again on two occasions the European vote to Gibraltar, and 3) during the 1969 Constitutional Conference Britain refused to deal with the ‘Unbreakable Link’ between Gibraltar and Britain, BUT with the Integration Party threatening to walking out of the Conference this was finally included in the famous 1969 Preamble.
What was common in these three issues was Political Will and resolve, which is what we need at the moment and which we feel the present administration has.
Andrew Rosindell, a prominent Brexit campaigner and UKIP both made reference to Devolved Integration for Gibraltar should a Brexit be achieved. The Leader of the GSD during the campaigning for the Referendum also made reference to Devolved Integration as an option should Brexit come about.
Regretfully this has come about. These promises must now be delivered.
We hold that, in the interest of our long-term security, Gibraltar must go with Britain wherever it goes.
It has been said that our immediate focus should be to obtain guarantees from the UK that Gibraltar will be included in any trade deals renegotiated with third parties, any special access to the UK to the Single Market should apply to Gibraltar.
Is it not logical that all these renegotiations should surely include Gibraltar as a de facto Region of the UK?
NO TIME TO WASTE
We believe that our proposal should be pursued speedily by your Government in line with the many discussions we have had on the subject with HMGOG, we feel there would be much support coming from Westminster, as has been expressed in 2002 on the occasion of the Enfranchisement Bill for of Gibraltar to get the EU vote, we have also no doubt that a majority of Gibraltarians will feel safer with if Gibraltar becomes an Autonomous Region of the UK.
Signed for Committee of
GBRALTAR IN WESTMINSTER MOVEMENT
Joe L Caruana MBE
Chairman
