The Leader of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party, Fabian Picardo, has today written to the leaders of the left wing forces in Spain to congratulate them on the results of the General Election to the Congreso de los Diputados held yesterday.

Mr Picardo wrote to Pedro Sanchez, the leader of the PSOE, referring to the latter's statements, outside the Ferraz headquarters of the party, in which he had said that the PSOE win reflected "a win of the future over the past" and hoping that this will be reflected in Spain’s relations with Gibraltar.

Mr Picardo's letter adds:

“I sincerely hope that the approach to Gibraltar, the Campo de Gibraltar and the issues that have bedevilled our relationship with Spain will now also be future looking and seeking cooperation - in keeping with your original remarks of June 2018 - that we have to look to create a positive dialogue beyond the rhetoric of the perennial debate on sovereignty. That is the wish of the Socialist Labour Party in Gibraltar also.”

Mr Picardo has written also to Pablo Iglesias of Podemos reflecting similar sentiments.

Mr Picardo said: “I have been pleased to congratulate the leaders of PSOE and Podemos on the success they have enjoyed in these Spanish elections. I have expressed a wish to see dialogue and cooperation on matters relating to Gibraltar. But I am clear that we have been let down by PSOE before, even by this leadership, on matters relating to Brexit, so we will continue to seek positive engagement but we will be realistic and mindful of the need always to be vigilant and not trusting in our relationships with Spanish politicians.”

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