Gibraltar will remain proudly British: treaty or no treaty Garcia tells Conservatives - 615/2024

Gibraltar will remain as proudly British as it has ever been, treaty or no treaty, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia has told delegates at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. That clear message was delivered to a packed reception hosted by the Gibraltar Government on Sunday evening which included former UK Ministers, MPs, Peers and other politicians.

In turn, the Shadow Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell MP, who responded on behalf of those present, pledged the support of the Conservative Party to Gibraltar and its people. He declared that Gibraltar's sovereignty was never up for negotiation and that the relationship with UK was as solid and enduring as the Rock itself. "The Conservatives will always champion Gibraltar, its sovereignty, its people and its aspirations," he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister recalled a number of areas where Conservative administrations had assisted Gibraltar during their time in office. This included the supply of covid vaccines, which meant that Gibraltar was the first territory in the world to be fully vaccinated, the sovereign loan guarantee to pay for the cost of the pandemic, as well as support for our British sovereignty and our right to self-determination.

Dr Garcia explained that in the event that a treaty on Gibraltar's future relationship with the EU were to be concluded, it would reflect our unique geographical position and political circumstances. But he added that there were important red lines on sovereignty and jurisdiction which neither Gibraltar nor UK would cross, and in those circumstances there would be no treaty. "Gibraltar will look to the Conservative Party too in both eventualities," he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister also held a number of separate one to one meetings with relevant Conservative politicians including the new Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge MP and Shadow Minister for Europe Alicia Kearns MP.

The Conservative Party Conference closes the annual round of UK party conferences at which Gibraltar is now traditionally represented. It will run from Sunday 29 September until Wednesday 2 October at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham. The Gibraltar presence there includes the Government Reception and the permanent exhibition stand which is managed by the staff of Gibraltar House in London.