0:00
For joining us this morning, lots of questions around what this deal looks like
0:04
We heard it's very close. Just from your understanding, how close are we to a deal on Gibraltar
0:09
Well, I said yesterday to Gibraltar television, we are excruciatingly close. We are almost there, but, you know, it's not over till the fat lady sings
0:18
and we're hoping that she's going to treat us to an opera very soon. What are some of the sticking points? Are there sticking points
0:25
What might some of those be in those negotiations? Well, I wouldn't necessarily describe them as sticking points
0:29
I think there are final issues that need to be resolved. My view, and I think it's the view of all of us around the negotiating table
0:36
is that we've passed the point of no return. We can see the finish line. We are almost there
0:40
We just have to get it to the finish line and be able to announce the whole package
0:45
the whole suite of agreements that are going to come into effect if we're able to get there
0:50
And why is a deal so important? Because we know there's been a temporary situation after the UK left the European Union
0:57
So what has been the current situation? Why is it important that this deal is made
1:01
Well, 15,000 people come into Gibraltar every day to work. That half of the population of Gibraltar and half of the working population of Gibraltar So 30 people work in Gibraltar 15 of them have to come across that Schengen frontier every day and back into Schengen So you can imagine if they had to do full passport formalities
1:20
it would take them longer than the working day to be able to come into Gibraltar
1:25
So we need an arrangement on fluidity, not freedom of movement, fluidity of people across that frontier into Gibraltar
1:32
and out back into the European Union. And the same is true of goods
1:36
Because one of the things that Brexit did for Gibraltar was it stopped the great British banger being able to be sold in our supermarkets
1:44
So the SPS deal that is likely to happen now as a result of the announcement yesterday will allow the great British banger to come into the European single market and from the European single market to come to Gibraltar
1:55
Our shelves in our supermarkets now feel less British because of Brexit
2:00
and I hope that the deals the Prime Minister has done yesterday and the deals we will do in, hopefully, coming weeks or months
2:06
will enable us to make our British supermarkets feel British again. All right, Fabian Picard, thank you so much for joining us this morning
2:13
and giving us that view of just why an agreement on Gibraltar is needed, and as you heard there from the Chief Minister, it is excruciatingly close
2:21
So you can get a packet of Richmond sausages then, as a result. Very good, Jack
