Politics Explained

Will the Spain quarantine row affect Brexit talks?

Sean O'Grady considers whether long-held tensions over Gibraltar might be reignited

Tuesday 28 July 2020 23:12 BST
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The territory will face a number of practical issues when the transition period ends
The territory will face a number of practical issues when the transition period ends

It is certainly rare for the head of one government to directly criticise the policies of another, friendly state. Diplomatically, it is not really the done thing, even in the age of Twitter and Trump. For Pedro Sanchez, prime minister of Spain, to say that the new British travel restrictions on Spain are “unjust” and an “error” shows how serious he takes the matter.

Spain no longer relies as heavily on tourism as it once did (the Spanish now make twice as many vehicles as the British, for example), but the sector is still crucial for some Spanish regions. Covid-19 has inflicted considerable damage on the Spanish people and the economy, just as they were emerging from a number of financial crises. The British move adds to their problems.

The obvious place for the Spanish to try to exercise leverage is via the Brexit talks. It would not, though, materialise in any crude manner. The talks are in any case headed for a no-deal outcome and have already, arguably failed – so a Spanish attempt to derail them seems pointless, even playing into the hands of some in London who seek a WTO terms exit from the EU. Spain was given a special veto on Brexit as it affects Gibraltar, the British territory long claimed by Spain, under the withdrawal treaty and the Gibraltar protocol, and, like the other 26 nations (plus regional parliaments) will have a veto on any UK-EU trade deal.

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