Thursday, October 28, 2021 - 09:19 Mark Viales

Lib Dem MP questions if Gibraltarians have ‘real say’ in EU Deal

A Liberal Democrat Member of UK Parliament has questioned the democratic process behind Gibraltar’s level of ‘consent’ in any potential treaty with the European Union. During the second round of Parliamentary discussion on Tuesday regarding the UK’s future relationship with the EU, Lord Jeremy Purvis was the only MP to mention Gibraltar. The Scottish Lib Dem seemed sceptical that Gibraltarians had a real say in negotiations and asked UK Brexit Minister Lord David Frost how any treaty would be ‘reconcilable with democracy’.

“How will consent operate within Gibraltar when it comes to this treaty? Will it be that the First Minister of Gibraltar has to say to us as a committee that Gibraltarians are happy with this treaty or how will consent be demonstrated?” Lord Purvis of Tweed asked the Brexit Minister as part of the Select Committee on European Affairs. “Because Gibraltarians have no representation in this Parliament, so how will, as you indicated, ‘reconcilable with democracy’, how will that apply to Gibraltar?”
EXCESSIVE CONTROL
Lord Frost said he believed this was an issue that was being discussed in the negotiations, which he quickly highlighted that it was the UK Foreign Office that was leading and not him. He did, however, accept that there was some ‘read-across' between the two arrangements.