Spain "uses EU legislation to control Gibraltar seas"

For over 300 years, the old Rock has been a symbol of British pride in the Mediterranean. Since the 19th century Gibraltar has proven its worth to the Royal Navy, especially during the prolonged convoy battles against Hitler's U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic. Spain has long maintained a territorial claim over Gibraltar, basing this on spurious grounds of "territorial integrity" and falling back on skewed interpretations of UN resolutions. (yes, it's a wikipedia link, but it's also a fairly accessible guide to what was said and why, complete with backing references)

The latest in a long string of incursions and abortive Spanish attempts at reclaiming the Rock is an attempt to use EU environmental protocols to gain control over Gibraltarian territorial waters. What alarms me about this latest effort is the complicity of EU bureaucrats and the subversion of the green agenda into an instrument of Spanish foreign policy. While it is not in doubt that the 2002 referendum on joint sovereignty removed any doubts over the wishes of Gibraltarians themselves, the Spanish have pressed on regardless with their efforts to recapture the isthmus.

The worrying thing is that such moves come at a time when the Royal Navy is facing near-complete overstretch (to the point where Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels are undertaking essential duties once covered by HM Ships) and Britain's ability to withstand incursions by Spanish assets into British sovereign waters are vastly reduced. The Gibraltar patrol squadron consists of two 21-tonne boats (see HMS Sabre, above) that look little reduced from pleasure cruising craft; what hope do we have if the Spanish really make a move against British interests?

As much as it goes against my anti-EU instincts to trust any of that hopelessly corrupt institution's organs, I do hope the Gibraltar government's application to the European high court pays off and reverses this pernicious decision. Watch this space.