British Foreign Secretary visits Gibraltar but Keeps his distance
Gibraltar celebrates its National Day on 10th September every year. Why 10th September?
On 10th September 1967 Gibraltar voted to keep its ties with Britain and not transfer to Spanish rule. The British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, was present at this year’s Gibraltar National Day celebrations. Cleverly, was on a private visit to the Rock with his family, followed the celebrations from a balcony in Casemates, (the main square) but did not take part in the official events. It is the first time that, even on a private visit, a British Foreign Secretary has been in Gibraltar for its National Day, which was also attended by members of a delegation of UK parliamentarians and a representative group of British Overseas Territories leaders including Mark Brooks and Dax Richards representing St Helena
Rather bizarre that the Foreign Secretary would be in Gibraltar there at that particular time, and not interrupt his private stay. James Cleverly is proving to be a most well-traveled Foreign Secretary in recent years, chalking up the air-miles and carbon foot-prints. He clearly feels that to be out there is the best way of running the Foreign Office when the opposite is true, to be there to manage and direct especially during the many crises going on this week. For example yesterday he ought to have been at the Commons International Development Committee alongside minister Andrew Mitchell to explain the 85% cut in UK overseas aid spending on reproductive health. FCDO’s own Equality Impact Assessment found that “aid cuts disproportionately impact women and girls, those with disabilities and other minoritised people.” (The Independent has already reported that much of the official UK Aid budget is now being spent by the Home Office on hotels for migrants arriving in UK.)