What do Gibraltar and Scotland both have in common? The electorates that voted in last year's EU Referendum both overwhelmingly decided that Britain should remain a part of the European Union. But what are the differences between both countries' leaders since Brexit? The Rock's Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, has accepted last year's result and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is refuting it. With the British Overseas Territory no doubt feeling intimidated by Spain's attempt to bully them, Mr. Picardo has emerged as the right leader for the right time.
However, it is not only the Spanish Mr. Picardo has so far engaged in a war of words with, but an even bigger body; the European Union. Gibraltar's Chief Minister was quite right to attack the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, for behaving like 'a cuckolded husband taking it out on the kids.' Despite the strong possibility that Spain could easily occupy the Rock as a distraction from upcoming Brexit negotiations and from unfolding economic problems, the Chief Minister has been bold enough to take a stand against a bully. It is no secret that if the Spanish suddenly occupied the Rock, they could easily overwhelm the Royal Navy protecting it and close the border between the two countries, destroying the British Overseas Territory's economy in the process.
To give credit where its due, then today it belongs to Mr. Picardo, who seems to be the Rock's modern day equivalent to Winston Churchill at the moment.
With two key allies in Britain and America, there is no reason why Gibraltar's Chief Minister should not feel secure in attacking their Spanish neighbours. Before the events of the last three weeks, not many people had heard of Mr. Picardo, but the irony is that Brexit, an outcome he wanted to avoid, has made him the hero the Rock needs at this time.
