Gibraltar to join EU free movement as Labour set to hand over control of border to Spain

Britons will now have to show their passports to Spanish or EU border guards upon arrival in Gibraltar.

After reaching an agreement with Gibraltar’s chief minister, Fabian Picardo, Lammy has headed to Brussels to secure the deal with EU Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic and the Spanish foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares.

Lammy secured the deal with Picardo and has travelled to Brussels to finalise the arrangements

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Picardo wrote on X: “[It was] time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial.”

The deal would allow around 15,000 Spanish workers to continue crossing the border daily and Gibraltarians to have their freedom of movement back within Europe.

Former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, told GB News: “We are absolutely furious about this deal. It’s another unbelievable and unimaginable betrayal.

“Through their warped apologist view of history this Government seeks determined to put the Britain last. This is yet another step for us to rejoin the EU by the back door.”

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“We will now be in the absurd situation where British people, arriving on sovereign British territory, will have to show their passports to foreign officials.

“It won’t be long before the Government pays Spain to take Gibraltar and does the same for the Falklands and Argentina.”

There are concerns the deal could collapse between Lammy, Sefcovic and Albares due to Conservative opposition in the UK and Spain.

A UK official stated: “We’re not going to Brussels to rubber-stamp a deal. Hard negotiations in the room ahead on a number of sticking points.”

Picardo hopes Gibraltar can join the Schengen area

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Sources are confident that the deal will go through, believing that the three sides are keen to avoid a repeat of former Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron’s meeting.

Ahead of the meeting, Picardo stated: “It’s time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial and which protects our people and gives certainty to frontier workers with a view to delivering more prosperity for all in our part of the world.”

Since Brexit, Gibraltar officials have run the border, with it remaining open due to both sides ignoring the rules.

Spain has said this cannot continue indefinitely, with Picardo hoping the deal can be finalised for the free movement of travel for Gibraltarians.