Starmer Hands Gibraltar Border Controls to EU in ‘Brexit Betrayal’

Starmer hands Gibraltar border controls to EU in ‘Brexit betrayal’

Spanish border guards will have final say on whether a British citizen can enter the Overseas Territory

JAMES CRISP, JAMES BADCOCK, JOE BARNES

Sir Keir Starmer has agreed a Brexit deal that hands control of Gibraltar’s border to the EU.

The Prime Minister was accused of plotting to undo Brexit after negotiations to keep the border with Spain open finally ended after almost four years.

Under the terms of the deal, Spanish border guards will have the final say on whether a UK citizen can enter the British Overseas Territory.

British tourists entering Gibraltar will have to show their passports twice, once to a Gibraltarian and again to a Spanish guard, as part of a “dual” entry system.

The sacrifice of hard-won sovereignty follows Sir Keir’s decision to pay billions to Brussels to rejoin the EU’s Erasmus programme.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former Tory leader, said: “This deal on Gibraltar is a ridiculous disaster and a very good example of cowardly posturing by him in the hope that he will get closer relationships with Europe.

“They’re using Gibraltar as a lever to get themselves back closer to Europe. He wants to undo Brexit. The whole plan of this Labour Government, who hated Brexit, is that over a period of time it will become impossible for us not to rejoin.”

Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of Gibraltar, urged the Tories to support the system, which he said was “an excellent deal for Gibraltar residents of all nationalities”.

He told The Telegraph: “I look forward to cross-party support for this excellent deal, which helps us avoid the many and great pitfalls that Brexit created for Gibraltar.”

He said the agreement was thrashed out “by the Gibraltar government alongside Tory and Labour ministers in the UK”.

Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said|: “Keir Starmer will be remembered for raiding the pockets of hard-pressed taxpayers to hand over billions of pounds to Brussels, and for his unpicking of Brexit.

“The deal with Gibraltar will, like everything this Labour Government touches, require forensic scrutiny as they cannot be trusted to serve our national interest and the public will need assurance that they have not once again caved to EU demands.”

Mark Francois, the chairman of the European Research Group of Conservative MPs, said: “First a sell-out on Chagos and now an infringement of the rights of Gibraltarians, and that hard on the heels of paying over the odds to re-enter the EU’s Erasmus scheme.

“I have argued before that Starmer remains a Remainer at heart, but now he’s not even bothering to hide it – he’s going to try and take us back in.”

The deal ensures Gibraltar’s border with Spain remains open and the 15,000 people who cross it every day will not need to have their passports stamped. Border checks will be moved to Gibraltar’s airport as the Rock effectively becomes part of the EU’s Schengen zone of passport-free movement.

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Ministers announced on Wednesday that Britain would rejoin the Erasmus scheme, which allows students to spend a year studying at a European university, for the first time since Brexit.

Labour said that rejoining Erasmus would cost £570m in 2027 for a one-year membership, but declined to say what the future costs would be.

The Telegraph understands that ongoing membership is set to cost Britain significantly more because Brussels plans to increase funding for the scheme by more than 50 per cent, from around €22bn (£22.7bn) to €41bn, from 2028.

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Featured image: The Telegraph