Part of 2. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:02 pm on 4 April 2017.
In fairness, the Prime Minister of Spain has not actually laid claim to Gibraltar or indeed commented at all on the issue of Gibraltar. The issue has come from the Commission not from Spain itself. I reiterate what I’ve just said: it is a matter for the people of Gibraltar how they choose what relationships they choose to have. They have voted overwhelmingly to stay British and that’s exactly what should happen. Nowhere should be forced to transfer to another country against the wishes of its population. That’s true of any country in my view. I’ve already met with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar. I will be meeting with him in the next few weeks. I’m happy to reiterate that point to him. In the discussions we’ve had, it’s Gibraltar’s concern about what Brexit might mean for their own trade situation and their border, that is what Gibraltar’s been most concerned about, certainly as we look forward over the next two years.