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Gibraltar’s shadow minister demands briefing following surprise bilateral in London
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By David Eade
The sudden announcement that Britain’s Foreign Secretary, William Hague, is to meet his Spanish counterpart, Trinidad Jiménez, in London tomorrow Thursday with Gibraltar high on the agenda has caught the political world by surprise.
QUESTIONS
The news first appeared over the weekend from Spanish sources without any official statement being issued by the Foreign Office or indeed No.6 in Gibraltar. Was the chief minister aware of this tête à tête without him being present? Did he stamp his foot in anger when he was informed of the bilateral by a Foreign Office official? Was it perhaps all happily agreed by him in advance? We know not.
However given the lack of response from the chief minister on the bilateral - at which Hague and Jiménez will talk about the Rock and him behind his back - we can make a very shrewd guess.
Yesterday the Lib Dem Euro MP for Gibraltar, Graham Watson, revealed in PANORAMA that he’ll be at the Foreign Office on the same day as Hague and Jiménez meet. He has a pre-arranged meeting with the Europe Minister, David Lidington, to talk about Gibraltar. As Spain is part of Lidington’s responsibilities he will presumably be well briefed on what is discussed by his boss.
I know the British Government has a harsh programme of cuts in hand but I hope it can still run to a new carpet to the Europe Minister’s door because the existing one will soon be worn out. For after Watson takes his leave the Labour Shadow minister for Europe and hence Gibraltar, Wayne David, will come a knocking.
Speaking to PANORAMA about the looming talks Wayne David stressed: “I believe that it is important for the people of Gibraltar and its elected representatives, to be kept in touch about all matters which affect the Rock. In the near future I am asking David Lidington, the Europe Minister in the UK Government, for a meeting. I will be asking him for an update on any developments regarding Gibraltar and I will also make a point of asking him about any discussions which may have taken place with the Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jiménez.”
NO HAND SHAKE?
What is curious is that Trinidad Jiménez does not appear to be meeting anybody but Hague during her visit to London. As a PSOE government minister Jiménez is of course a socialist, so a shaking of hands with Labour’s new Shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander, one would have thought would have been on her schedule. Apparently not.
16-02-11
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