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Veteran tells GB News he's 'convinced' the Argentinians will try and claim Falkland Islands
Jun 13, 2025
Falklands veteran Simon Weston has expressed concerns about the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, despite receiving direct ministerial assurances that the territory's status remains secure.Speaking to GB News, Weston revealed that although a Government minister had told him the Falklands had "never been on the table for discussion" with Argentina, he remained worried about the islands' future.FULL STORY HERE.
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0:00
Foreign Secretary David Lammy appears to have admitted that Spanish border guards could stop Brits entering Gibraltar
0:06
because of this new post-Brexit deal that he signed yesterday. Then he was pressed on the matter by Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice
0:14
So you might have missed this. Here he is. Just to probe this question of whether or not Spanish border officials, Foreign Secretary
0:22
have an effective veto on the entry of a British citizen from the United Kingdom
0:28
landing on British sovereign territory in Gibraltar? I just want absolute clarity for everybody, please, in this House
0:36
Do Spanish officials have a veto or not? If he went, if he flew into Gibraltar airport and there was an alert
0:44
I'm not sure why there might be an alert in the Schengen system, but if there were an alert in the Schengen system
0:51
Can I reassure him that as he is stopped by the Spanish border guards operating on behalf of the European Union
1:01
that he would be handed back to the Gibraltites? Hmm. OK. So under the terms of this deal signed, people flying into Gibraltar from the UK
1:13
will face one cheque from Gibraltarian officials and another by the Spanish on behalf of the EU
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And of course the big question is what happens if they fail that cheque Do they get told that they not allowed in Gibraltar It seems very odd Joining me now is Falklands war veteran Simon Weston Simon thank you very much for joining me by the way Look the way to move this on as far as I can see
1:34
is do you think that the Argentinians are going to be looking at this and they're going to want to have another go at the Falklands
1:40
I'm fairly convinced that's going to be something they'll want to try to achieve
1:47
With the current track record, I mean, considering this government's only been in place
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was it about 11 months, they've already sort of interfered in two overseas territories
1:59
in one country to take over the Chagosian islands, Chagos. They've got rid of that
2:08
What they're going to do, or what they've done with Gibraltar, Fabian Picosi seems to be quite happy with the deal
2:19
certainly when he was photographed, he was absolutely elated with David Lammy
2:26
So I think he sees it as being a good deal. But, you know, my admaque concerns about the 90-day relationship
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you know, whether they can stay on the island. I have friends who have property in Gibraltar
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I have friends who live in Gibraltar. And I'm wondering how it's going to affect them
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because the rules seem to be fairly sort of abrupt in Europe
2:47
about the 90 exclusion Yeah I mean I am very sympathetic by the way to the idea that people who live on Gibraltar can often have a nightmare getting into Spain
3:00
working every day, and, you know, I'm all for something that makes their lives easier
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I wouldn't like to have to wait three hours at a Spanish border crossing every day
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However, I worry that for the ease of access, on certain occasions, we have forgotten
3:15
the very British principle, frankly, that when you land on sovereign British territory
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you should only have your passports checked by a Brit. And, you know, you were willing to put your life on the line
3:28
to protect the Falklands in its entire sovereignty. And I just worry that we've softened a bit here
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It's a bit weird, you know. If you've ever seen the programme Cops on the Rock
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and one of the reasons they say they have to have such stringent checks
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is the worry about cigarettes being smuggled because Gibraltar had no VAT on cigarettes
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Now, to be honest with you, the more you charge for cigarettes, the happier I am
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But the fact is that they were always chasing these unbelievable boats that could go much quicker
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and they'd be landing on the Spanish coastline delivering drugs and cigarettes anyway
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So I don't see that as being a justifiable reason for some of the checks that went on
4:12
I've been to Gibraltar several different times, crossed over on the land bridge and yeah the interference by the border patrol there was quite ridiculous But I suppose they doing their job to irritate as best they can
4:28
or they were, and now that one goes away. But I do worry about the Falklands
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and how easily we've done these two deals that seem to have thrown everything away, whether we will
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I've spoken to somebody quite high in the government and involved in overseas territories
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and he absolutely swore blind, straight to my face when asked the deliberate question
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what about the Falklands? He said it's never been on the table for any discussion with anybody
4:57
and certainly not the Argentinians. And I suppose you've got to take him to his word
5:01
but I don't know. You just don't know anymore. You don't know anymore
5:07
It is a very concerning time. It's certainly got a big green flashing light on it now
5:10
the Falklands, because if I was Argentinian, I think this is the softest, weakest opportunity for us
5:16
to go and get it back. So, you know, I can see the logic there
5:19
The only thing I will say to slightly counter the Falklands thing is something you alluded to there, which is
5:23
it appears to me that Labour have basically just signed off on the things that the Tories weren't prepared to sign off on
5:29
So there were already deals in place. The Tories had said, oh, we've got red lines. Labour has just gone, screw that, we're signing it
5:34
I don't think there was anything like that in place with the Falklands or with the Argentinians, I should say, already
5:40
But, Simon, we're going to have to leave it there, my good man. Thank you very, very much. Always a pleasure. You take care
5:44
Simon Weston there, Falklands War Vector and War Hero, really, I should say
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