Gibraltar sends spain brexit warning after 'unacceptable' remark

BREXIT: GIBRALTAR WILL ‘ALWAYS CHOOSE UK OVER EU’ SAYS MINISTER And he stressed he would be taking his place at the negotiating table in ongoing Brexit negotiations. Mrs Laya stirred up

controversy during an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, in which she referred to ongoing Brexit negotiations and the need to discuss “a new status for Gibraltar between Spain

and the United Kingdom." The issue is highly controversial, given Spain has never renounced its historical claim on the overseas territory, which has been in British hands since the

Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. In a statement issued by HM Government of Gibraltar, Mr Picardo said he accepted her remark had been a "throw-away line". However, he added:

"Nonetheless, it must be clear that Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar will not leave unanswered any suggestion, however tangential, that the ‘status of Gibraltar’ can be negotiated

‘for Gibraltar’ by any parties other than by the Government of Gibraltar. "It is certainly unacceptable to Gibraltar to suggest that any such ‘negotiation’ could be ‘between Spain and

the United Kingdom’." Fabian Picardo said the (Image: GETTY) Spain's Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya (Image: GETTY) Mr Picardo added: "I am very clear in wanting to be

proactive and positive in the Brexit negotiations and in ensuring that we reach new arrangements to preserve and enhance mobility as much as possible and, in that way, secure the prosperity

of Gibraltar and the whole region around us. "But let us be very clear about one thing: I will be negotiating for Gibraltar. "No one else is democratically empowered to do so and

no one else can agree anything for the people of Gibraltar with any democratic credibility." READ MORE: 'BORIS HAS FAILED': PUBLIC STILL THINKS CUMMINGS BROKE RULES - CURTICE

Royal Navy boats were sent to escort the P43 Relampago out of British waters (Image: GETTY) RELATED ARTICLES He warned: "Proposing the return of old-style bilateralism between Britain

and Spain in respect of Gibraltar in relation to the negotiations of the deals to be done for the post-Brexit future is an antidote to democratic legitimacy and it will not be a persuasive

tool in the discussions to come.” Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU in the 2016 - but two referendums have underlined its steadfast commitment to remaining part of the British

family. Speaking last year during a visit to London, Mr Picardo told Express.co.uk: "When the time came, despite having voted 96 percent to remain in the European Union, when the

decision came, we were always going to choose our link with the United Kingdom over the link with the European Union and the single market, not just because it made economic sense, but for

us it made emotional sense too. DON'T MISS Coronavirus warning: Woman explains shock COVID-19 symptom [REVEALED] Coronavirus - patient explains 'horrible taste' that could be

COVID-19 [INSIGHT] BORIS JOHNSON HAS NOT MISHANDLED CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE - NO10 ISSUE EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT [LATEST] A Guardia Civil helicopter strayed into UK airspace last year (Image:

GETTY) The Rock of Gibraltar has been in British hands since 1713 (Image: GETTY) “This is where we have been misinterpreted by some aspects of the Spanish political spectrum, who have

thought that this was their moment because we were going to lose access to the single market and therefore we would fall into their laps. “But actually it turned out when we did the

analysis, 95 percent of the business that we do, using single market rules, is with the UK. “But let me assure you that if it had been the other way around, and we had done five percent of

our business in the UK and 95 percent of our business in Europe, if the UK was choosing to leave the European Union, we would still have left with the UK. Gibraltar factfile (Image: GETTY)

“Because the link between us, there’s nothing economic here, it’s an emotional link, a human link. “This is about thinking both with our heads and our hearts, it’s not about making a choice

which is right for our pockets, and that’s the thing the Spanish have never really understood. "They’ve always thought that they could get at us through our pockets but we have got

British blood running through our veins and that’s what matters.” The testy nature of Gibraltar's relationship with Spain was underlined last week when a Spanish patrol vessel, the P43

Relampago entered into British waters, prompting the Royal Navy to dispatch an escort to usher it out again after an hour-long pursuit. Gibraltar is on the far southern tip of Spain (Image:

GETTY) RELATED ARTICLES Similarly, last year, a British Airways flight was delayed in both landing and taking off from Gibraltar Airport, first by a Guardia Civil helicopter, and then by an

unspecified fixed-wing plane, prompting an official protest. A Spanish government spokesman told Express.co.uk: “Spain does not recognise any British airspace over Gibraltar. “It, therefore,

makes no comment on any news based on that supposition." (ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MARIA ORTEGA)