Why Gibraltar Has Strong British Connections

GIBRALTAR was for centuries considered a vital sea base as it sits on one side of the entrance from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean opposite to Morocco.

The Rock was first inhabited more than 50,000 years ago by Neanderthals and archaeological evidence suggests that Gibraltar may have been one of their last places of habitation before the entire species died out.

Initially settled by the Phoenicians about 1,000 years before the birth of Christ it came under the influence of the Roman Empire who named it Mons Calpe and then the Visigoths before the Moors claimed it and it was known locally as Jibel Tarik (Tarik’s Mountain).

In the 13^th and 14^th Century it changed hands between the Moors and Christians from Castille from whom it was then taken by the 1^st Duke of Medina Sidonia after a long siege.

For a short period of time starting in 1474 it was leased to 4,350 Converso (Jews who had been forced to convert to the Catholic Faith) by the 2^nd Duke of Medina Sidonia, but after two years, using a pretence that he needed to send a fleet to Ceuta, his troops marched into Gibraltar and threw the Conversos out.

Gibraltar eventually became part of the unified Kingdom of Spain and remained under Spanish rule until 1704.

It was captured during the War of the Spanish Succession by an Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Sir George Rooke in the name of Charles VI of Austria, the Habsburg contender to the Spanish throne.

Britain did well from the Treaty of Utrecht gaining St Kitts and parts of Canada from France as well as Gibraltar and Menorca from Spain.

Although Britain returned Menorca to Spain in 1802, it steadfastly kept hold of Gibraltar despite several Spanish sieges and it has been a ‘bone of contention’ between the two Countries ever since.

Gibraltar remained an important base, especially during both the Second World War and the Falklands War but ceased to be a colony and over a period of years gained a significant element of self-determination.

Now the big question is what will happen in the future as more than three years after the official date of Brexit, no border agreement has been reached and with the likelihood of the election of a new, right of centre Government in Spain there are more questions than answers.

Basically, the UK won’t recognise Spanish sovereignty of any type over the Rock, whilst Spain claims (and to some extent is confusingly supported by the United Nations) that Gibraltar is a British Colony and should therefore revert to Spain.

This of course is anathema to Gibraltarians who generally enjoy a better lifestyle than their neighbours across the border but they could find it becoming increasingly more difficult to cross into Spain if all non-Schengen rules are exercised.

The United Nation are not a colonial power and don’t have the inclination to get further involved, nor does the European Union.

If one accepts the Spanish argument that Gibraltar is a colony then logic suggests that rather than simply change from the UK to Spain (which arguably has colonies in Ceuta and Melilla), then Gibraltar should perhaps push for Independence (or independent city status) in its own right, similar to Monaco or San Marino.

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Once again however, Spanish interests would prevail as the Treaty of Utrecht calls for Spain to approve any change of status of this type.

Sadly, an almost perfect example of stalemate!