
Lammy holding talks on post-Brexit deal for Gibraltar
Talks on rules governing the border of Spain and Gibraltar have been ongoing since Britain left the European Union in 2020, but an agreement has not yet been reached.
A Foreign Office source said: 'We're working to secure an agreement that works for the people and businesses in Gibraltar.
'An agreement that will protect British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar's economy and allows businesses to plan for the future.'
Ministers have insisted no deal will be done without the full support of Gibraltar's government.
Mr Lammy held talks with chief minister Fabian Picardo in Gibraltar along with the UK's overseas territories minister Stephen Doughty.
Today, with @DavidLammy and @SDoughtyMP we held a Cabinet meeting in No6 Convent Place to agree final parameters for negotiation. We will now travel to Brussels to meet @MarosSefcovic and @jmalbares. It's time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship… pic.twitter.com/YojYmRi0cu
— Fabian Picardo (@FabianPicardo) June 11, 2025
The ministers and Mr Picardo then travelled to Brussels for talks with the EU and Spanish representatives.
In a post on X on Wednesday morning, Mr Picardo said it is 'time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial'.
Gibraltar was ceded to the UK by Spain in 1713 and the population is heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory.
The last time it voted on a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move.
Gibraltar also hosts an RAF base at its airport and an important naval facility.
The Government, in line with its Conservative predecessors, has said it will not sign up to a deal that gives sovereignty over Gibraltar to another country, or that the Gibraltarian government is not content with.
The strategic defence review, released earlier this month, said the UK would maintain a military presence in Gibraltar, 'upholding the sovereignty of British Gibraltar territorial waters'.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

South Wales Argus
26 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Irish premier and president offer condolences after India plane crash
Air India said the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft was leaving Ahmedabad Airport with 242 people on board. The airline said 169 passengers were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese and one was Canadian. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said: 'It is horrific and very, very sad what has happened in India, the plane (crash) just shortly after departure, I believe less than a minute.' He added: 'Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of those bereaved, crew members bereaved, and with the people of India, Britain and Canada. The world is a much closer place, we all travel. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of India after the terrible plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier today. Thinking of the families of all those on board, along with the emergency services attending the scene. — Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) June 12, 2025 'It is extremely sad and shocking that an accident of this scale has occurred with the loss of so much life.' He noted that it took place close to the 40th anniversary of the Air India flight 182 disaster, in which the plane crashed off the coast of Ireland on June 23 1985 as a result of a terrorist attack. 'All of us who experienced that had a sense of trauma that people go through when crashes of this kind happen,' he said. Irish deputy premier and minister for foreign affairs Simon Harris also extended his sympathy 'to all of those caught up' in the 'very tragic and horrific' crash. 'We think of all of them and their families in what is an evolving story, with no doubt, more information to come,' he told the Irish parliament. Irish President Michael D Higgins said: 'May I express my deepest condolences to the families and communities of all those who have lost their lives in today's tragic airplane crash in the city of Ahmedabad, India. 'All of our thoughts are with those who are grieving those lost, be it passengers or those in the vicinity of the crash, as well as the emergency workers at the scene. 'As president, I extend the condolences of the Irish people to the president of India, HE Droupadi Murmu, His Majesty King Charles, and to the citizens and heads of state of all those countries who have been impacted by this tragic event.'

South Wales Argus
26 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
British man survives Gatwick-bound Ahmedabad plane crash
The Air India flight, which was carrying more than 240 people from the city of Ahmedabad – including 53 British nationals, collided with a medical college on Thursday. The Hindustan Times said 40-year-old British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash, telling the newspaper: 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.' A video of the crash circulating online showed the aircraft flying over a residential area before disappearing behind trees, followed by a huge explosion and large plumes of black smoke. The public should be prepared for a significant loss of British lives, Downing Street said. Images of the aftermath of the crash showed parts of the plane embedded into BJ Medical College as firefighters continued to tackle the smoke. Pieces of the aircraft's landing gear, fuselage and tail could all be seen protruding from the building. Officials said the flight was departing from Ahmedabad Airport with 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Air India said on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals. We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured. Tata Group will… — Tata Group (@TataCompanies) June 12, 2025 Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of those who were killed in the crash. The company said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the 'building up' of the medical college the plane crashed into. Divyansh Singh, vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, told AP at least five medical students had been killed and around 50 were injured after the plane collided with the college. Campbell Wilson, the chief executive of Air India, expressed his 'deep sorrow' after the incident, adding: 'This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.' (PA Graphics) UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said. The King said he was 'desperately shocked' by the incident and Buckingham Palace said he was being kept updated on the developing situation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the crash was 'devastating', while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said it was 'heartbreaking beyond words'. Asked if people should prepare for a significant loss of life, a Downing Street spokesman told reporters: 'Yes. 'As the PM said this morning, the scenes emerging of the London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city at Ahmedabad are devastating. 'Clearly this is a deeply distressing time for families. The situation is still unfolding.' Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a 'tragic accident' and a 'devastating event', and said emergency response teams are at the site. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. Search and rescue teams attended the scene in Ahmedabad (Ajit Solanki/AP) The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight. Gatwick said a reception centre was being set up for relatives of passengers on board the Air India flight. It is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Flightradar24 said flight tracking data shows after taking off, the plane reached a maximum altitude of 625ft, which is about 425ft above the airport. It then started to descend at a rate of 475 feet per minute. A message from His Majesty The King following this morning's tragic incident in Ahmedabad. — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 12, 2025 Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. It started operating flights to Gatwick in March 2023, with 12 weekly departures and five weekly departures to Ahmedabad. Gatwick said there was no impact on wider flight operations at the airport, but a Thursday evening flight to Goa had been cancelled. Recent analysis by the PA news agency found it was the worst airline for delays to flights from UK airports last year, with planes taking off by an average of more than 45 minutes later than scheduled. The Reuters news agency reported 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight (Ajit Solanki/AP) The airline has gained a poor reputation for delays and cancellations in recent years, partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare aircraft parts, which led to some of its fleet being grounded. The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft involved in the crash was in December 2013. The plane was delivered to Air India during the following month. The FCDO said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.


BBC News
31 minutes ago
- BBC News
Legal win for son tricked into moving to Africa by parents
A teenager who was tricked into going to boarding school in Africa has won a significant legal victory against his own 14-year-old boy, who cannot be identified, was taken from London to Ghana in March 2024 after being told a relative was ill. In fact, his parents wanted to get him out of London as they feared he was being drawn into criminal and homesick in Ghana, the boy found lawyers and brought a case against his parents to the High Court in London, which ruled against him in February. On Thursday, he won his appeal, so the case will be reheard. The most senior judge in the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, said there had been confusion in the previous decision."We have become more and more concerned as to the exercise the judge undertook," he added."For those reasons - we are agreed remittal should be allowed."He urged the family to find a solution through constructive dialogue. At the hearing, the boy's barrister, Deirdre Fottrell KC, said he is "desperate" to return to the UK."He is culturally displaced and alienated," she said."He considers himself abandoned by his family. He feels he is a British boy, a London boy."The boy remains in Ghana and has been attending a day school there. His solicitor, James Netto, described the appeal ruling as a "hugely significant" decision that would "resonate across international family law." He said: "We are very pleased indeed that the Court of Appeal has allowed our client's appeal, and has recognised the critical importance of listening to and assessing the voices of young people at the heart of legal proceedings that profoundly affect their lives."The parents' barrister, Rebecca Foulkes, said that staying in Ghana was the "least harmful" option for the boy."The parents found themselves in a wholly invidious decision when they made the decision they made," she said. "Ghana provided a safe haven, separate from those who exposed him to risk."The least harmful option is for him to remain in Ghana."The case centres on the question of parental responsibility, and whether the parents acted unlawfully by sending their son to boarding school without his boy previously told the court that he felt like he was "living in hell". He said he was "mocked" at the school in Ghana and "could also barely understand what was going on".During the previous judgement, High Court judge Mr Justice Hayden said the parents' wish for their son to move to Ghana was "driven by their deep, obvious and unconditional love".He found that the boy, who had lived in the UK since birth, was at risk of suffering greater harm by returning to said that the boy's parents believe "and in my judgement with reason" that their son has "at very least peripheral involvement with gang culture and has exhibited an unhealthy interest in knives".Sir Andrew said the case will now be reheard by a different judge, with the next hearing planned to take place in the next few weeks.A full decision will be given in writing at a later date.