We will not sit quietly while Spain attempts to claim territory that has been British for over 300 years
Rock steady
OF course Britain shouldn’t go to war with Spain over Gibraltar.
But nor will we sit quietly while Madrid launches its latest ridiculous attempt to claim the territory.
The Sun was quick to praise the constructive and welcoming tone of the PM’s Article 50 letter last week.
Mrs May didn’t forget to mention Gibraltar — as some have claimed. She rightly decided that its future is settled and its people aren’t a bargaining chip.
So it speaks volumes that in response Brussels chose to antagonise Britain by questioning Gibraltar’s sovereignty.
If this is to be the EU’s negotiating tactic it deserves short shrift from Downing Street.
Gibraltar has been British for over 300 years. That status was cemented long before the European Union was born — and will most likely outlive it.
The 30,000-plus patriotic residents of the Rock have repeatedly, and overwhelmingly, rejected efforts to force them to live under Spanish rule.
European Council President Donald Tusk may have been trying to unsettle the PM, or show the world he’s ready to play hardball with the UK.
In which case, former Tory leader Lord Howard’s cheeky comparisons with our readiness to defend the Falklands against “another Spanish-speaking country” were a robust and suitably tongue-in-cheek response.
Mrs May must refuse to discuss any change in status for Gibraltar and rule out the non-starter of a Spanish veto on trade talks.
Put simply, the PM should tell the EU and Spain once more: Hands Off Our Rock.
Dumb Leaded
HAS the Government learned nothing from its embarrassing U-turn over the White Van Man Tax?
If it refuses to provide a scrappage scheme for diesel cars while plotting crippling new taxes on diesel drivers, the answer must be YES.
As with the botched National Insurance hike, the victims of Andrea Leadsom’s so-called “toxin tax” will be the hard-working families and self- employed strivers this Government has pledged to support.
The people conned into buying diesel by Labour will be punished in the pocket by the Tories.
This is a critical test of trust in our leaders – the Government must change course immediately.
Flaw on aid
ANOTHER week, another tale of waste and mismanagement in our bloated foreign aid budget.
A committee of MPs has found the amount of taxpayers’ cash handed to private firms has tripled, yet officials fail to carry out even the most basic checks on where the money goes.
Total, unaided incompetence.