Here’s the full text of yesterday evening’s National Day Ministerial Statement delivered by the Chief Minister on GBC:

My dear fellow Gibraltarians,

The 10th of September is our day.

The date on which we celebrate the most important day in our political calendar.

Every year I tell you from Casemates how fantastic you all look in red and white.

Tomorrow, I am sure that you and Gibraltar as a whole will look as good as ever in our traditional colours.

But tomorrow will bring a very different National Day.

Because this year, everything has been different.

It breaks my heart that we will not be at Casemates this year.

But we must avoid gathering in large numbers.

I hope next year can be different.

We are working together to achieve that.

This year, we have had one of the toughest years in living memory.

It has been the toughest year so far in the time I have had the privilege to be your Chief Minister.

A year of life threatening danger requiring us to take tough decisions.

A year that has required all nations to make unprecedented economic, social and legal decisions.

During this year of flux, we have gone from focusing on Brexit to focusing on the human threat that COVID represents.

I have had the privilege of working with so many of you in the public sector who have stepped up when the odds could not have been higher.

I have led a Government on a virtual war footing to stem the tide of the pandemic. Today, as a Gibraltarian, my heart breaks that we cannot celebrate as we usually do.

But my broken heart is filled with pride when I think back to everything that we have successfully achieved this year.

And when I see in our time and generation the same grit;

The same steel resolve;

And the same unity and commitment to our nation as our forefathers have shown.

But we must all understand that there are tough decisions yet to come.

There are tough decisions yet to be made.

Because this is now the age of responsibility for all of us.

And we as a people need to act with responsibility for each other.

As members of a community.

Understanding that we all live together in this land of ours.

And understanding that we have a responsibility to others, as much as we have a responsibility to ourselves.

So to those of you who think COVID is a hoax.

To those of you who make it your mission to mislead, to misinform and to misguide the vulnerable in our community.

I tell you now:

You are selfish and you are wrong.

To those who are listening to ignorant, misinformed or intentionally misleading social media voices instead of listening to our health professionals:

You are risking not just you and your family. You are risking all of us.

All of our loved ones.

And all of our freedoms.

To all the anti-maskers, the anti-vaxxers and the anti-tracers I say the following few words:

You are not just wrong.

You are foolish and wrong.

You have no credibility and you are risking so much of what our nation is and we all hold dear.

That is why today, I am addressing matters which I would not usually address on National Day.

Because this year cannot just be about the international politics of Gibraltar.

This year we must concentrate also on preserving the health of our nation.

Tomorrow, as we enjoy our annual day of national celebration, be responsible.

The greater good of Gibraltar and the Gibraltarians depends on it.

It depends on YOUR behaviour.

Our patriotic duty this year is to be prudent and responsible as we celebrate.

So please be conscious of that.

Especially our young people.

Be conscious that the consequences of your actions in the next 24 hours will manifest themselves in coming weeks.

So please do not fail Gibraltar tomorrow.

Politically, National Day is a celebration of our identity and our unity.

A multi-coloured illustration of our determination that no one other than we, the Gibraltarians, will choose the path that we take as a people.

And we all want a Gibraltar that continues to be prosperous.

We want a Gibraltar that is open, tolerant and democratic.

We all want a Gibraltar that continues to enjoy the blessed existence it has for such a long time now.

It is easy to take these things for granted.

Let us never do so.

And so our focus now will also be on the negotiations of the future relationship between us and the European Union.

We voted to stay in the EU.

But we have chosen to leave with Britain.

Our first choice will always be to stick with the UK.

Everyone in the EU now knows that.

And as we leave, we have worked tirelessly on the future relationship with the EU.

The time is approaching when a deal needs to be done.

If a deal is not done, we will be ready.

Deal or no deal, the Gibraltarians will prosper.

But we will continue to work for a deal that works for Gibraltar.

A deal that is safe for Gibraltar.

A deal that fully respects our sovereignty, jurisdiction and control over our land, our sea and our air.

That is the differentiated solution that we seek.

One that recognises that our geographic, social and economic differences with UK require a different deal with the EU for the future.

But one that keeps us closer than ever to Britain.

A deal that brings us closer to Britain.

So pay no attention to anyone who suggests the opposite.

Because we are working to give effect to the choices of the people of Gibraltar.

Our expressions in successive referenda of our inalienable right to self-determination.

Of our enduring link with Britain.

And in that work we are being ambitious for all of us.

And I believe that we may be successful for all of us.

But this is a potentially seminal moment in our history.

And we will only achieve the best for our children, our people and our nation by sticking together. My ministerial colleagues and I have worked tirelessly to protect Gibraltar.

We will not allow anyone to take any advantage over us.

REMEMBER

No one has ever been clearer in defence of our sovereignty, jurisdiction or control.

When it comes to the issue of our sovereignty, we are no doves.

WE are the hawks.

And no one else can pretend to masquerade as stauncher defenders of our land, our sea and our people.

You know that we are approaching these sensitive moments with the seriousness and resolve that they require.

You know that the work that your Government is doing will fully respect our red lines on sovereignty, jurisdiction and control.

You know that our red line is that the Gibraltarians alone will decide the fate of Gibraltar. Of our nation.

Of our people.

There will be no negotiations on sovereignty, jurisdiction or control.

Our right to self determination is non negotiable.

Our relationship with Britain is unbreakable.

Our right to our land and our waters is legally secured and is politically sacred.

So let no-one persuade you that we or I would risk it.

I have dedicated my academic, legal and political life to this battle since I had rational thought.

I will not deviate or falter.

Neither will Joseph Garcia.

Nor will Sir Joe Bossano.

Neither will any of the ministers in the Cabinet.

Do not believe anyone who tells you otherwise.

That would be political fiction.

The political fact is that we have been the hardest defenders of the right to self-determination of the People of Gibraltar.

That is what characterises our five terms in Government and our time in Opposition.

What is political fact is that we will secure the absolute best deal we can for Gibraltar. And what is also a political fact is that if a deal is bad for Gibraltar;

Or if a deal cannot be done without concessions;

We will walk away.

But be also in no doubt – this autumn will be a hard time for Gibraltar.

The twin threats of COVID and Brexit together represent genuine threats to this community. We are up to this challenge.

Together, united, we will surpass these challenges.

But to achieve that, this is a time that calls for calm decision making.

A time for serious consideration of difficult and complex issues.

A time for serious people to make the serious decisions you have entrusted to us.

Have the confidence that we will make those decisions.

Have the confidence that our decisions will always be designed to protect us all.

And you can also have the full confidence of your Government's guarantee;

My personal guarantee to you;

That just as we got through the spring together, we will get through the coming challenges. Together.

United.

Red, white and blue.

Red, white and proud.

Red, white and free.

Please enjoy our national celebrations tomorrow prudently and safely.

And long may we be, forever free, in Gibraltar, our own land.

Thank you.