Ever since the day in April 2017 when the European Union granted Spain a veto over how the Brexit divorce deal should apply to Gibraltar, a political time-bomb was placed directly under the negotiations.
The veto means that London and Madrid, in consultation with Gibraltar, must agree separately how and if the Brexit deal should apply to the Rock.
If anyone had any doubts that Spain would use their veto, they only needed to look at the issue of Gibraltar airport which is currently blocked from Europe’s ‘Open Skies’ because Spain has refused to allow it to be covered by EU law.
The result is an £84 million white elephant with 16 check-in desks that handles three or four flights a day. The Spanish…