May 04 - Between A Rock And A Hard Place - A Gibraltarian Student's View On The Dilemmas Of GE2015
By Mark E. Montegriffo
2015 sees general elections in the United Kingdom, Spain and Gibraltar. It does not take a young politics aficionado like myself to realize the importance of the outcomes of these elections for my 30,000 compatriots in Gibraltar.
Last year I had the privilege of representing Gibraltar in delegations at EU and UN level. To my delight, I was able to experience the international diplomacy that the Rock has been engaging in for the purposes of commerce, lobbying and, above all, utilizing our right to defend our political wishes - not just regarding the defence of British sovereignty over Gibraltar versus Spain but also because there is a consensus that a 'Brexit' would virtually bring Gibraltar to its knees.
However, with cross-border (and cross-water) tensions on an incline ever since the election of the Partido Popular Government in Spain, Gibraltar could take some comfort in the news that the rise of support for parties in Spain such as Podemos and Ciudadanos may damage the chances of a PP re-election.
However, I have been following the UK election with far more interest. This is due to several reasons, one of them being that I am studying modern Britain's Political History for my A-levels. I am certainly not the only one with a keen eye on the developments in the May election, as Gibraltarians know that the governing parties in the UK have not always lived up to our expectations. Gibraltarians are growing weary of empty 'robust' rhetoric from the Foreign and Commonwealth office and would appreciate a more proactive UK government.
But Gibraltarians are not particularly pleased with the UK Labour Party. New Labour's attitude to Gibraltar effectively ignored the democratic freedoms of Gibraltar and attempted to seek a joint sovereignty solution whereby the Rock would be half-owned by the Spanish state. This started the new millennium on the wrong foot with regards to Gibraltar's relationship with Straw, Hain and Blair. Locally they are considered as traitors for trying to 'sell us down the river'.
Naturally, the general feeling seems to be that Gibraltar is safer under a Conservative government in the UK. Though if we are judging by 2014's EU election result, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly for the UK Liberal Democrats; this is in great part thanks to the dedication of Sir Graham Watson to Gibraltar's cause. Despite this, no Liberal Democrat represents Gibraltar at EU level because it is part of the South West region of the UK which voted in a different range of politicians.
Indeed, Europe is an issue for Gibraltarians at this election. We are overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in the EU and perhaps that might persuade some that a Labour-led Government would be safer for Gibraltar. Though the party did not do itself any favours when they allegedly recognized Gibraltar as a tax haven - a claim which Gibraltarians will prove to you is wholly untrue.
I find this very unfortunate as I tend to find some good common ground with Miliband's Labour. Abolishing the bedroom tax and enforcing non-dom tax seems to be ethical and agreeable, despite claims that GDP will plummet. The coalition has overseen tuition fee hikes and a surge in foodbanks, which the Labour party has rightly spoken out against. Although the pound is comparatively strong, the economic recovery would have been quicker if it weren't for a coalition government. Then again, a Conservative Party promising a referendum may put to bed the appeal of UKIP for many UK voters if the result was in favour of remaining in the EU - an issue that has haunted the stability of UK Governments since their first application was rejected in 1961 under Macmillan's Tory Government.
All in all, I predict that we will see a government that is, in some form or other, Labour-led. But the Rock will stand strong against any falsehoods or hints of indifference towards her sea and land. The next UK government had better respect Gibraltar's high levels of autonomy, especially in its financial sector and her constitution, as well as be a proactive player in defending those rights that Gibraltar has earned. A Labour government would have a lot to make up for to the Gibraltarian people.
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