Nothing to peck

IT’S best to be cautious when referring to Gibraltar because someone somewhere will always be offended, if not downright outraged.

But it’s worth mentioning that Brussels has agreed to a Spanish veto on any agreements that involve Gibraltar during Brexit negotiations.

Coming while Spain was making Gibraltar noises in the undergrowth, the announcement left both London and Government House hopping mad. What did the Brexiters expect?

Brussels went easy on the UK-Gibraltar situation owing to Britain’s position in the EU pecking order.

Our sceptred isle never did appreciate or make the most of that position but will soon discover what life’s like as a bottom feeder.

Not boxing clever

MARIANO RAJOY is inflexible regarding Cataluña’s planned independence referendum which he is fighting on several fronts.

Each time he focuses on the purely legal aspects of an issue that requires a modicum of warmth.

In his latest display of strength Spain’s president announced that any firm making ballot boxes for the outlawed referendum will be prosecuted.

“I can’t see the problem, we live in a democracy,” an undeterred manufacturer said.

Rajoy believes he upholds democracy in his opposition to the referendum but does not know how to woo those whom he opposes. Nor does not want to.

He has his own way of doing things, which offers little dialogue and still less in the way of negotiation.

All out of proportion

THE PSOE’s secretary general candidates first require backing from 5 per cent of the party’s 187,949 paid-up members before they can run in the primaries.

There are 36.4 million voters in Spain and however you do the sums, there is something perturbing about a system where so few decide for so many.

Time to get choosing

JEREMY CORBYN declared that if Labour lose the General Election – which already looks inevitable – he will not step down.

He will carry on regardless, he told interviewers. Sound familiar, Pedro Sanchez?

After two General Election defeats topped by last September’s dismal regional election results, Sanchez saw no reason to resign as Secretary General.

Worse still, his refusal to allow the PSOE’s greatly reduced number of MPs to abstain during Mariano Rajoy’s investiture vote was leading the country to yet another General Election.

The PSOE’s Executive and Federal Committees stepped in and for good or ill, engineered Sanchez’s departure.

It split the party but prevented another rout at the polls.

It’s unfortunate that Corbyn’s own rout on June 8 comes after the PSOE primaries.

His fate would have given Sanchez supporters a tip or two on how not to choose a party leader.