Empire or Conquered Colony

[Gus]

Potential Controversy Warning


Just read the following

The Spanish government last week summoned the British ambassador to complain about the princess's three-day visit and said it offended the sensibility of the Spanish people. Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter Caruana called the complaint incomprehensible. (Courtesy of Yahoo News)

Am I missing the point but hasn't this got NOTHING to do with Spain .... its been British for 300 years or so. If tssi was still a relevant argument ... when do we get the colonies back ... (but would we want the US of A back ) ... come to think of it ... would we have to give London etc back to the Duke of Normandy and Scotland back to the Celts ...... hold on ... I'm beginning to see an upside

[Gadget]

I'm sure that the Gibralta {whatever} people were put to a vote recently (or within the past few years) as to whether they wanted to become independant, and the overwhelming majority said "no".

[Dreadful Scathe]

overwhelming majority is an understatement - it was something like 97% !

Gibralter has bugger all to do with Spain its been part of the UK longer than Scotland has.

[Stubob]

And it's a great place to visit I did several times during my navy days

You can sit at the marina and watch the planes banking in steeply across the sea to avoid Spanish airspace and then hit the brakes rapidly on the bit of road they call a runway to avoid going in to the sea at the other side Forget Alton Towers try landing in Gib

Stubob

[Gordon J Pownall]

And it's a great place to visit I did several times during my navy days

Stubob

Flew there many times whilst in the RAF - a fantastic base to sail from as well - gateway to the Med....

Rule Brittania and all that !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rhythm King]

I too have visited the Rock "On Her Majesty's Service", and thouroughly enjoyed the experience. I must say though that the gates to Spain were open at the time and that it must be pretty claustrophobic, when they are closed, as happens from time to time. I have seen Peter Caruana interviewed on TV by both the Paxman and Dermot (I sit next to SCD's La Kaplinsky) Murnaghan. He was remarkable for a politician, in that he answered each question directly, without the classic "I hear what you're asking but I'm going to ignore it completely it because I want to say this" response we've come to expect from our own soundbite spinmeisters. He also stayed calm, reasonable and polite in the face of a typical Paxman hardball questioning.

[Stuart M]

Potential Controversy Warning... when do we get the colonies back ... (but would we want the US of A back ) ... come to think of it ...

I'd suspect the Native Americans, Australians, Maoris etc. would be more than happy for us to take our colonists back...and while we were at it, maybe we could resurrect the x millions our forefathers killed, displaced, enslaved, starved, etc. ?

I know you're being tongue-in-cheek, Gus, but colonies and empires are rarely good things for the colonised...

As for the Spanish and Gibraltar, bit of double standards there. Melilla? Ceuta?