by MARK VIALES
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo clashed with Brexiteer MPs at the House of Commons on Wednesday regarding how much control the European Court of Justice (ECJ) may or may not have over Gibraltar law.
A full cast of Conservative MPs grilled the Chief Minister on their concerns regarding Gibrexit negotiations that centred on a potential infringement of British sovereignty via the ECJ. Picardo insisted at the House’s European Scrutiny Committee he believed the ECJ would not be required and the courts were not holders of British sovereignty but rather ‘custodians of public morality’.
“As you know, I am not a Brexit purist,” Picardo responded assertively to Conservative MP David Jones’ ‘mischievous’ question on whether he could contemplate any role at all for the ECJ in the interpretation of EU law applicable to Gibraltar.
BORIS RULES OUT EUROPEAN COURT ROLE IN GIBREXIT TREATY
http://www.gibraltarpanorama.gi/177261
by MARK VIALES
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday ruled out any role for the European Court of Justice in a potential treaty on Gibraltar between Britain and the EU.
The strong declaration in the House of Commons came on the same day the Gibraltar Government flew to Brussels for the third round of Gibrexit negotiations.
“I see no future role for the European Court of Justice,” said the Prime Minister in response to Conservative MP David Jones who asked whether the UK will exclude any role for the ECJ in any potential deal.
Last week Chief Minister Fabian Picardo clashed with Conservative MPs on EU aspirations to control aspects of Gibraltar law and whether this represented an infringement on sovereignty.
Picardo ‘lightly’ accused Jones from the UK’s European Scrutiny Committee of unleashing a ‘mischievous’ question regarding what, if any, role the ECJ may or may not have.
“As you know, I am not a Brexit purist,” Picardo responded assertively to Jones’ ‘mischievous’ question on whether he could contemplate any role at all for the ECJ in the interpretation of EU law applicable to Gibraltar. “I am starting at the other end of the treaty. I believe that by the time we have written the operative clauses of the treaty, it will not be necessary to have the dispute mechanisms system directly applicable to European Court jurisdiction in Gibraltar, but that is not the litmus test, for me that is.”