On the threshold of 2026, Gibraltar can look forward to another new year with optimism, hope and positivity. This will be reflected in our determination to finally reset our links with the European Union. However, as happens every year, the next twelve months will present a number of challenges as well, which we can best face with a sense of purpose and united as a people.

OPPORTUNITY

Those challenges will also bring opportunity. The completion of negotiations for our future relationship with the EU last month was an important step forward, but there is still plenty more work to be done. A chain of events has been set in motion which will lead to a new way of doing things in a number of different areas covered by the treaty. It will also establish the rules for the opening of a new window through which to generate economic wealth and prosperity with the huge trading bloc to our north. The legal certainty which the UK-EU Treaty will deliver will be invaluable. Gibraltarians have long been renowned for taking advantage of whatever commercial opportunity may come our way. This one will present itself on a potentially large scale.

TREATY

It also means that Gibraltar and its people will be spared the uncertain future which we would otherwise have faced in a no treaty scenario. That future had the potential to be cold and bleak, as the work we have done to mitigate its impact amply demonstrated. Indeed, the permanent application of the European Entry-Exit System (EES) at the land border with La  Linea alone would have generated considerable delays to persons moving in both directions. The knock-on effect of that situation, on a permanent basis, would not have been pretty.

BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY

In a negotiation which effectively involved four parties, Gibraltar, the UK, Spain and the EU, there has inevitably been a measure of give and take - so the new treaty will not be perfect for any party. But it represents a safe, secure and beneficial framework for Gibraltar which does not impact on our continued, exclusive British sovereignty, jurisdiction and control. Only those who have lived and breathed the negotiations will fully appreciate the level of intensity and concentration which this task has required. The impact of that experience will remain with some of us for life. Moreover, it is important to be clear that the choice is between the treaty on offer or no treaty at all. We have explored every alternative, every possibility and every nuance since October 2021 and left no stone unturned during the negotiating process. The blunt reality is that our current relationship with the EU is unsustainable and that it can no longer remain as it is. Time and again we have made the point that this status quo is not an option.

STABILITY

This treaty will be about securing our place in Europe. Throughout the year, we have continued to engage with our neighbours and partners in a spirit of dialogue and respect. While always ready to stand up for our country, as indeed we have done, cooperation, mutual understanding, and practical solutions are always preferable to pointless confrontation. Gibraltar’s future is best served by stability and openness, guided by the constructive relationships we have built and developed over many years.

TENSIONS

So for more reasons than one, the year 2025 will be remembered as one that tested us, challenged us, and ultimately strengthened us. In a world marked by uncertainty—geopolitical tensions, economic volatility, and rapid technological change—Gibraltar has once again demonstrated its resilience, adaptability, and determination. And 2026 will be the year when the new treaty is set to be signed, translated and ratified and when the process of implementation will commence. That will involve changes to our laws, to administrative practices and the provision of new infrastructure. The latter will include the new common immigration zone building which is set to straddle the border as well as a new RGP sub-station in the frontier area.

INTERNATIONAL

And during 2025, Gibraltar has continued to assert its voice on the international stage in other areas as well. We have taken the message to the United Nations, to the party conferences in the United Kingdom, to opinion makers in London, Madrid, Brussels, Washington and New York. We have engaged constructively with our partners, defended our interests firmly, and remained true to the democratic wishes of our people.

CONFIDENCE

Throughout our long and turbulent history, our identity has never been defined by uncertainty, but by confidence. Gibraltar is a modern, outward-looking country with a strong sense of self and a clear commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and international cooperation. It is also true that certain issues have generated considerable disagreement in our small community. But debate is not a bad thing and it goes without saying that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Indeed, such a degree of lively discussion and vigorous argument is itself the hallmark of a vibrant democracy.

RESPECT

While rigorous accountability of this kind can only be welcome, we must always be conscious too of the wider world outside. We do not operate in a vacuum. Historically, Gibraltar has always functioned best and achieved its objectives more easily when we stand together. That means debating each other with respect by engaging without imputing motives and leaving personal insults out of it. The past has shown how extreme infighting is a guaranteed recipe for self-destruction anywhere. Mutual respect must always be a guiding principle as we move forward with the conduct of our affairs.

MISTAKES

The plain truth is that all Governments make mistakes. And the longer the time in office the greater the potential for this to happen. Fourteen years of consecutive administration since 2011, which have included a once in a generation crisis coupled with a once in a lifetime public health emergency, will take their toll on the hardiest of administrations. It is easy to forget what we have been through and just how much we have overcome together. And it is also true that it is important to learn from those mistakes and to do things better going forward. Trust in politics and in life is earned through action—through clear communication, through responsible decision-making, and through a willingness to listen and to change. In 2026, we will continue to engage openly with our community, ensuring that policy decisions are informed, inclusive, and grounded in the realities of everyday life as well.

WONDERFUL

The truth is that Gibraltar remains a wonderful place in which to live. I have never forgotten a meeting in my office a few years ago with bi-partisan Members of the United States Congress. They were amazed at the system of free education and of free healthcare in our small country. Those of you with children studying at University in the UK will appreciate the generous grants received from Gibraltar’s taxpayers. Our children are in a very favourable position compared to UK students who end their studies with a mountain of debt which can often rise to tens of thousands of pounds. It is benefits such as these which we so often take for granted. Indeed, our unrivalled record of investment in education, health and housing demonstrates that we have put these policy areas first.

REFLECTION

The beginning of a new year is always a moment for reflection and renewal. It invites us to look back with honesty, to recognise both our achievements and our challenges, and to look forward with confidence and ambition. As we close the chapter on 2025 and turn the page to 2026, we do so with a clear sense of who we are as a people and what we aspire to be as a nation. In the context of a settled relationship with Europe, the time has now come to commence a new process of constitutional reform which leads to decolonisation in partnership with the United Kingdom. It is worth recalling that exactly eighty years ago, in 1946, Gibraltar was included by the United Kingdom in the United Nations list of territories which were pending decolonisation. That list then had 72 countries in it, including Gibraltar. This new year 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of that listing. There are now 17 such territories which await their political emancipation on the UN list.

VALUES

So in 2026, let us recommit to the values that have always defined Gibraltar: resilience, mutual respect, and solidarity. In an increasingly unstable world, this Rock still remains a solid symbol of continuity, strength and stability. And as we move forward into a new year, I wish to extend my warmest New Year greetings to every member of our community. On behalf of the Liberal Party I wish you peace, good health, happiness and prosperity in the year ahead.