22/04/2017 00:00
Citizens will come first said the British ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, yesterday at a Bulletin breakfast at the new convention centre in Palma. In other words the fate of the 300,000 British citizens living in Spain and the millions of EU citizens living in Britain will be top of the agenda when the British government sits down to negotiate the divorce settlement with the European Union.
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John, unfortunately, most Spanish are of the opinion that the British are either sponging off the Spanish NHS or getting pissed and violent in Magalluf. Mark my words, they will do all they can to make Gibraltar a deciding factor when push eventually comes to shove.
So - the "Citizens will come first" according to Simon Manley. Which Citizens ? British, Spanish, European, EU, legal ?? The terms of Brexit have not yet been decided, nevermind announced, so how can anyone make such sweeping statements ? Irresponsible journalism and scaremongering is at best misleading and at worst dangerous.
I think that is very positive news indeed. Spain, unlike the UK would be more likely to use common sense, and try to ensure that the interests of both countries were obtained, It has been long said that the English residents, as well as the tourists play a big part of the Spanish economy.
The Daily Bulletin is in the forefront of scaremongering and printing rumour about brexit when neither you or anybody else really knows what is going to happen after brexit,especially now that Mrs May has surprised everybody by calling an election that is clearly intended to strengthen her hand over brexit. As for the ''excellent relationship'' funny how if it was so good,Spain is continually kicking of over Gibraltar.
Career diplomat ? Sounds like a career politician to me. Neither he, nor the British government can guarantee anything as its not in their hands to be able to do so. And that's before the situation of Gibraltar raises its ugly head. I bet he is hoping to be transferred somewhere else before the nitty gritty starts being discussed. I would.