Spain bans British jet carrying Hammond from its airspace
Spanish authorities have reportedly stopped a British military aircraft carrying Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond from flying through Spain’s airspace on its way to Gibraltar.
The incident took place last Wednesday as the top British diplomat was heading to Gibraltar to meet residents and warn them against voting for the UK to leave the EU at the June 23 referendum, the Sunday Express reported.
The report added that Spanish authorities issued the ban even though they had been informed of Hammond being on board the plane in advance, forcing the jet to bypass Spain and fly over Portugal instead.
Hammond told Gibraltarians that London would no longer be able to protect its interests if they took the measure and supported Brexit.
The incident marks an escalation in the long-running dispute between Spain and the UK over Gibraltar.
The UK has always insisted Gibraltar is rightfully British. The Spanish government, on the other hand, maintains the territory is Spain’s.
Gibraltar, with a population of over 30,000, is located on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula and has an area of 6.7 square kilometers (2.6 square miles).
Gibraltar’s defense and foreign relations issues are supervised by British authorities.
Since 1989, British military aircraft have been banned from flying over or landing in Spain if their final destination is Gibraltar.
On Saturday, British Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell warned that Gibraltar would find itself part of the EU region of Andalucia within a decade if resident voted to remain in the 28-member politico-economic bloc.
“As long as Britain continues to give the impression that we are not a hundred per cent committed, that there is room for negotiation over sovereignty, the Spanish will continue to behave as they are behaving and relations will remain low,” Rosindell said.
“It is shameful that Spain is treating a NATO ally in this fashion, yet all we do is to send diplomatic notes or call in the Spanish Ambassador,” he said.
Madrid has threatened to close its border with Gibraltar in the event of Brexit and establish a blockade similar to the one that former Spanish Dictator General Franco enacted in 1969.
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