We will take Gibraltar says Spanish Foreign Minister in event of Brexit

Margallo hopes the UK remains in the EU, however

While British citizens will be going to the polls next June to decide in a referendum whether the UK should be part of the EU or go its own way, the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo sees this a great opportunity for his country to claim Gibraltar, if a Brexit occurs. Speaking in a radio interview Margallo explained that, although he was against a Brexit, if it did happen Spain would claim Gibraltar the next morning.

margallo-spain foreign min

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo

The land of Gibraltar is a small self governed territory at the tip of Southern Spain, but is under the control of the UK. The sovereignty of Gibraltar still remains a matter of contention between Spain and the UK. In response to the prospect of a Brexit and its implications on Gibraltar, Julia Reid an MP of the constituency of Gibraltar for the euro skeptic UKIP party reassured her voters that they had nothing to fear even if the UK left the EU. The Prime Minister of Gibraltar, Fabien Picardo  said it would be safer if Gibraltar remained within the EU to avoid ‘being snatched up by Spain’, as he said.