Brexit: Article 50 Has Been Triggered !

[1andrew1]

Once apparently concerning point in the EU's negotiating document is this passage about Gibraltar.

Finally, Madrid has got what it has wanted since joining the Union 30 years ago. “No agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom,” the document says, which means Spain now wields veto power over Gibraltar – something which the Foreign Office has always resisted. It is a major diplomatic defeat for Britain.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...-a7659821.html

What can the UK do? Can we buy Spain off financially?

[nomadking]

Any veto works both ways. We can insist that any deal include Gibraltar. Is the rest of the EU going to want to block a deal simply because Spain throws a strop over Gibraltar?

It is amazing how nearly each day, the rest of the EU shows its true colours and why we should be well away from them.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by nomadking

Any veto works both ways. We can insist that any deal include Gibraltar. Is the rest of the EU going to want to block a deal simply because Spain throws a strop over Gibraltar?

It is amazing how nearly each day, the rest of the EU shows its true colours and why we should be well away from them.

whats next a ban from eurovision

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by nomadking

Any veto works both ways. We can insist that any deal include Gibraltar. Is the rest of the EU going to want to block a deal simply because Spain throws a strop over Gibraltar?

It is amazing how nearly each day, the rest of the EU shows its true colours and why we should be well away from them.

But don't all 27 remaining member states have to agree? So even if the other 26 agree, if Spain doesn't then there are problems.

Originally Posted by nomadking

Any veto works both ways. We can insist that any deal include Gibraltar. Is the rest of the EU going to want to block a deal simply because Spain throws a strop over Gibraltar?

It is amazing how nearly each day, the rest of the EU shows its true colours and why we should be well away from them.

My thoughts exactly, the sovereignty of 'The Rock' should not be used as a bargaining chip. The EU is showing how desperate they are.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by nomadking

It is amazing how nearly each day, the rest of the EU shows its true colours and why we should be well away from them.

Quite true.


If they keep playing games like this, we should just walk away from the negotiations and just leave.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

But don't all 27 remaining member states have to agree? So even if the other 26 agree, if Spain doesn't then there are problems.

The point is that the issue of Gibraltar has been made one of the core principles of the EUs negotiations.

In its draft Brexit negotiating guidelines, the European Council identified future arrangements for Gibraltar as one of its 26 core principles.It wrote: "After the UK leaves the union, no agreement between the EU and the UK may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without agreement between Spain and the UK."

No mention of ensuring that French Territories are to be included in any deal.

[Kursk]

Oh no, I hope they don't send an Armada

[Osem]

All this speculation and extrapolation from the opening gambits of both sides. The EU isn't going to allow x, y or z blah, blah, blah. There are 2 sides to this negotiation and the EU can't dictate to the UK any more than the UK can it. Any negotiator worthy of the name is going to start the process playing hardball and my only surprise at any of this is that not everyone here seems able to grasp that basic fact. Just about every time one Eurocrat or another makes a claim about not compromising on something or other, the usual suspects here pitch up again with their usual predictions of doom yet when the UK does the same they whine about the arrogance of the UK trying to dictate to the EU. For me it exemplifies just how far they are willing to put the other side's interests ahead of our own and I'm wondering what they feel they'll gain as a result. Maybe the worst possible outcome for the UK is what they want because, having lost the vote, they just can't bear the thought that the other side might have been right all along.

[Kursk]

Looks like we might need to withdraw British troops from Poland and Estonia to defend British territory at Gibraltar

[heero_yuy]

According to a report in The Times, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, is preparing a list of up to €60bn of liabilities. Correspondingly, government officials are understood to be drawing up an asset list to which it believes that the UK could be entitled to a share of.

According to an analysis by the think-tank Bruegel, the EU had assets worth around €153.7bn at the end of 2015.
CIPFA stated that while the EU will request that the UK meets a fair share of the liabilities accrued since 1973, the UK has also been a major net funder for assets accrued over the same period.

Source

Let's have our share back.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

Source

Let's have our share back.

Sheer arrogance!!! How dare you suggest we ask for anything!!! We should think ourselves lucky to have been the EU's second largest net contributor all these years and should be made to pay heavily for daring to leave...

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Kursk

Looks like we might need to withdraw British troops from Poland and Estonia to defend British territory at Gibraltar

It might be quite a struggle to cobble together enough troops to defend her.

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by denphone

It might be quite a struggle to cobble together enough troops to defend her.

About half a dozen would be enough

I've been trying to think up a punchy strap line for the negotiations and the best I can come up with is Liberté, égalité, fraternité.

It's a previously used but long forgotten phrase.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Kursk

About half a dozen would be enough

I've been trying to think up a punchy strap line for the negotiations and the best I can come up with is Liberté, égalité, fraternité.

It's a previously used but long forgotten phrase.

how about
cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war