Campo mayor wants compensation for any loss effect from Brexit!

Although Ciutadans, the young Centre Right party have gained the highest number of seats, 37, they will need alliances to secure the absolute majority of 68 required in the Catalan Parlament. Their candidate Ines Arrimada, although the most voted, only appears to be able to muster an alliance of 65. (Total votes 2,254,000), they could nevertheless end up in opposition.

Against this, the ‘exiled’ Puigdemont’s ‘Juns per Cataluña’, himself with the second highest votes, have achieved 34 seats, Esquerra Republicana, led by Borrell Junqueras currently in jail, 32 and LaCup 4 total 70 seats giving them the majority in the house. (Total votes 2,060,000).

This is celebrated in Cataluña as a win for those favouring Independence versus the nationalists, but importantly negating the intended effect anticipated by Señor Rajoy of crushing the Catalan Independence Movement, and humiliating the dissolved Catalan Govern after their 1st October Referendum and their subsequent Unilateral Declaration of Independence, by the implementation of Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution.

Sadly, however, the block of the two key pro Independence parties, JpC and ER, have serious ‘internal’ issues not least the fact that the leader of the former is in exile and the leader of the latter in jail, courtesy of the “Independent” Spanish Judiciary.

The big question, who will be invested President Puigdemont or Borrell Junqueras.

With this double whammy in his face Señor Rajoy with his anti-Gibraltar cohorts have been presented with an excellent opportunity to distract, at least some, public attention by a brilliant initiative of the Mayor of Los Barrios following the pre Christmas meeting with ‘sweet talking’ Señor Dastis, a delegation from the Junta de Andalusia and Campo Mayors.

Now hold on to your seats, much has been said of Spanish opportunism when it comes to sticking it to the British and Gibraltar, not to mention bleeding the EU coffers consistently. And this new initiative has presented just such an opportunity.

COMPENSATION!

Jorge Romero, the Partido Andalucista mayor of Los Barrios, said Spain should calculate the economic effect of Brexit on the Campo and “demand” compensation from the UK, something the minister said would be “difficult to quantify” but would nonetheless be analysed, no doubt with great relish.

DEMAND, no less, the arrogance of Spain’s political puppets is breathtaking, but of course when you can rely on the rest of the EU to do your dirty work for you, then every possibility is certainly worth pursuing. Certainly worthy of the Spanish equivalent of a New Year’s honour and a seat in Madrid’s “Gibraltar think tank” and an excellent opportunity for the PP to vent their Catalan frustrations?

With this in mind it is crucial that, in the announced forthcoming technical talks between Britain and Spain, the British team keep their wits about them and DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, allow themselves to be fooled with surreptitious clauses and conditions intended to further either the Spanish objectives of recovering Sovereignty or tightening the economic noose round our Rock.

Well what do you think, ladies and gentlemen. What a wonderful Christmas present that would be for Señor Landaluce (Mayor of Algeciras and long standing ‘friend and admirer’ of Britain, Gibraltar and all Gibraltarians in general)? And a new year toast for Señor Margallo, perhaps?

No doubt this proposed “bill or lottery win” will no doubt become an addendum to the Brexit Divorce bill and in particular of the Article 24 Spanish Veto in the Transition negotiations. Why claim on Madrid when they will get better results claiming from the British Government who have their backs against the wall?

And guess what, is there any doubt in your minds that, like the Córdoba Agreement Pensions stitch-up, the Spanish (with the EU’s blessing and support) will once again pocket a few Billion Euros, if nothing else? But naturally the Campo, and in particular the Mayor of Los Barrios, is unlikely to ever see a dime!

Joseph Brugada

04-01-18 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR