These are difficult, despairing days on the Conservative backbenches. Almost certainly a dreadful set of local election results looms in May. Nationally, fears of a Labour landslide on the scale of 1997 grow. But last month, briefly, it was quite like old times as Brexit veterans Sir Bill Cash and Mark Francois indulged in an opportunity to play some favourite old tunes.
Rumours of an imminent deal with the European Union over the post-Brexit status of Gibraltar have permitted some satisfyingly retro talk of red lines crossed and sovereignty compromised. Following the successful negotiation of the Windsor framework for Northern Ireland, opportunities for this kind of stuff are now few and far between. In a House of Commons debate in March, Brexit chainmail clanking, Sir Bill took his chance, warning that aligning with EU rules, and allowing Schengen border checks on Gibraltar, would amount to caving in to a “foreign power”. A dangerous precedent would be set for other British overseas territories. “Here we go again,” lamented Mr Francois sympathetically.
Fortunately, the ageing ultras of the Eurosceptic right are no longer the political force they once were. There have been numerous tortuous rounds of talks between Britain and the EU since Brexit anachronistically marooned Gibraltar outside the Schengen area. But the appointment of David Cameron as foreign secretary, and the proximity of June’s European elections, appear to have focused minds on reaching a deal before the disruption entailed by a new European Commission and intake of MEPs. Well over four years after the Brexit withdrawal agreement was signed, it’s about time.
A trade and border deal formalising free circulation of people and goods would clearly be in the interests of both Gibraltar and the relatively poor neighbouring Spanish region of Campo de Gibraltar. Under ad hoc temporary arrangements, free cross-border movement has been permitted, meaning about 15,000 Spanish workers have been able to keep their jobs on the Rock. But when it comes to a formal deal, there are sticking points regarding the status of a Spanish presence at Gibraltar airport, which also hosts an RAF base. These could plausibly be resolved by allowing border enforcement to be conducted by officials from the EU’s border agency, Frontex.
Rightly, the status of Gibraltar’s sovereignty is not up for discussion in the talks. But on all sides there are sensitivities that need to be carefully handled. A flippant remark recently made by one EU commissioner, who responded to questions about a possible deal by saying “Gibraltar español”, was crass and unhelpful. That negotiations on the EU side are being led by the commission vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, who performed the same role in relation to the Windsor framework, bodes rather better for a successful outcome.
On Friday, in a sign that a treaty deal may be close, Lord Cameron and Mr Šefčovič met for talks in Brussels, along with Gibraltar’s chief minister, Fabian Picardo, and the Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares. Such progress is long overdue. Leaving the EU was a bad idea for Britain. It was simply a nonsense for a territory on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula. The remain vote in Gibraltar was 96%. Four years after Britain formally exited, dragging the Rock with it, a sane solution must be reached to deal with an anomalous absurdity.
