Between a rock and a hard place -

[observer]

Seems the EU are already kicking off with fun and games, by giving Spain a veto over Gibraltar leaving the EU. Well there's a simple answer to that one; give the Gibbos a referendum on either being in the EU or the UK, and see if they still vote 90% in favour of the EU !

[asperity]

It's got nothing to do with Spain. Gibraltar is bound by the result of the referendum the same as the rest of us.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_member_state_territories_and_the_European_Union#Gibraltar

[observer]

Spain and the EU seem to think so;  hence they've come up with this spoiler.  Sure our lawyers will put it to bed.

[Davy51]

Things were so much simpler in Nelson's day.

[asperity]

Time to up the popcorn order, things are becoming interesting

[Davy51]

Amazingly ,the Eu are insisting on a soft Irish border but the border between Spain & Gibraltar has always been complicated to say the least despite Spain being keen to welcome waves of British tourists.

[observer]

A considerable number of Spaniards are employed in Gibraltar; so given their unemployment crisis, I'm sure they'll adapt to reality.  There have been many closures of "the border", especially in Franco's time, and the Rock survived.  As for the Irish, they wanted a separate State, borders are a consequence.

[observer]

Seems Lord Howard has compared the Gib issue to the Falklands, and I suppose he's right.  Perhaps a well publicised exercise in reinforcing the Rock would show the EU that we mean business, and show that ultimately, not all things are sorted out in the corridors of Brussels ?

[Evil Sid]

Good show that man, what! quick thrust show, johhny foreigner we mean business eh what!, soon go running when they get a taste of cold steel. By gad the nerve of those upstarts thinking they can pinch the land we pinched off them in the first place, dashed cheek what! what!.When i was a subaltern in the punjab we didn't stand for such nonsense, no sir gave them a sound thrashing, show them whose in charge ,what! 

Are we not fighting enough countries as it is.  Mind you if we conscript some of the unemployed chavs give them an idea which end of the gun faces the enemy and what bit makes it go bang and send them over that might do it. That thought certainly scares me.

[observer]

A little misplaced satire Sid:   as far as the Gibbos are concerned, they are British and wish to remain part of the UK. So if self determination is the guiding factor the rock should be defended, just as we would defend the Isle of Wight.   The notion of ownership is again, a distortion, given that historically places have changed hands many times and possession is nine points of the law.  The Spanish stole it from the Arabs, who stole it from the Byzantines, who stole it from the Visi-Goths, who stole it from the Romans, who stole it from the Iberian Celts, who stole it from the Neanderthals. So basically, might is right for those with the gonads to use it.   

[fugtifino]

A misplaced satyr earlier today:

 

[Eagle]

One of Pan's People?

[observer]

Whoops - the spell checkers are out. Very appropriate LGBT garb Fugs !