The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, spoke today to the new Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP. The conversation was an important first opportunity to touch base and included consideration of the manner in which matters related to Gibraltar will be handled between the relevant Ministers of State at the FCDO going forward.

The Chief Minister was also able to raise matters which are relevant to Treaty implementation ahead of the Foreign Secretary meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares tomorrow in Madrid. 

The Chief Minister said: “It was a real pleasure to talk to Ed again, now in his role as Foreign Secretary. We have known each other for a long time and I look forward to working with him in coming months. The Foreign Secretary was very clear in his commitment to the exclusively British Sovereignty of Gibraltar and the commitment of the British Government under Prime Minister Burnham to the Double Lock. I am sure that the relationship with the United Kingdom will be safe whilst Ed remains at the FCDO and I know that it will be easy to work with him in weeks and months to come ahead of the JMC in November.”