Mariano Rajoy parts company with former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

WHEN the new ministers in the Spanish Government were formally sworn in before King Felipe VI, there was one significant absentee, José Manuel García-Margallo who has been replaced as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation by Alfonso Dastis Quecedo a career diplomat who was born in Jerez de la Frontera and is believed to be somewhat less bombastic in his political stance.

The new cabinet is very much like the old cabinet, but the removal of Margallo will be seen as something of a triumph by British and Gibraltar governments and perhaps by some of the Spanish opposition parties who had been very quick to criticise his autocratic ways, although they were also generally critical of the retention of so many of the ‘old guard’.

There is no question that if the Brexit negotiations between Britain and Spain are to actually be to the benefit of both Countries then a squabble over 30,000 people in a few square miles who don’t want to be Spanish was clearly an unnecessary distraction and whilst Spain may well continue to make diplomatic representations over Gibraltar, it is to be hoped that the new minister will bring some dignity and sense of proportion to the discussions.

Written by

John Smith

Married to Ophelia in Gibraltar in 1978, John has spent much of his life travelling on security print and minting business and visited every continent except Antarctica. Having retired several years ago, the couple moved to their house in Estepona and John became a regular news writer for the EWN Media Group taking particular interest in Finance, Gibraltar and Costa del Sol Social Scene. Currently he is acting as Editorial Consultant for the paper helping to shape its future development. Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

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