The GSD says that the recent announcements regarding the projects for the refurbishment of the frontier and the cruise liner terminal are "nothing other than blatant electioneering in advance of an imminent general election."

A statement continued: "The GSD has been calling for the refurbishment and beautification of the frontier and the cruise liner terminal which have laid in an embarrassing state of neglect for years. It beggars belief that the Government has chosen to ignore this issue for so long until potentially weeks before an election. It should have been palpably obvious that basic to the visitor experience is that they are treated to an attractive welcome and not the dilapidation and squalor that has been the case for so long.

"This GSD has identified the long-overdue refurbishment of the entry points as an essential plank to its tourism policy. When pressed on this the Government has said that they were not willing to spend tax-payers’ money carrying out changes – not even the rendering and painting of a small section of wall at the pedestrian entry at the frontier - which would then have to be corrected depending on the nature of the UK-EU deal. This was a ludicrous and bizarre position to adopt and has been shown to be so as they not only eventually fixed the wall as we had been urging them to do, they have now announced plans when the deal has not yet been concluded. Indeed, not only has the deal not been concluded but the ambitious frontier plans with lanes etc., have been announced at precisely the time that Spain is imposing greater restrictions to frontier flow."

“Let us be clear. The presentation of pretty pictures of a refurbished frontier and cruise-liner terminal is nothing other than naked electioneering. The Government are treating the electorate like fools thinking they can be wowed with pretty artists’ impressions. They will not have the wool pulled over their eyes anymore by Mr Picardo and his team.” said Damon Bossino