'Jaw jaw not war war': May hoses down talk of war with Spain

The unexpected row, which comes less than a week into official Brexit negotiations, erupted on a Sunday morning political TV show when former Conservative leader Lord Howard reacted angrily to the EU's draft proposal that Spain get a veto on Gibraltar matters during Brexit negotiations.

"Thirty-five-years-ago this week, another woman prime minister sent a task force half way across the world to defend the freedom of another small group of British people against another Spanish-speaking country," he said, referring to former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Falklands War.

"I'm absolutely certain that our current Prime Minister will show the same resolve in standing by the people of Gibraltar."

He added he was not seriously suggesting going to war with Spain, but "I can see no harm in reminding (the EU) what kind of people we are".

The militaristic tone of his Falklands analogy, used against a NATO ally, caused jaws to drop on the continent.

But on Monday, a spokesman for prime minister Theresa May made it clear she would not distance herself from the comments.

"All Lord Howard was setting out was the determination of the UK to continue to support the sovereignty and democratically expressed wishes of the people of Gibraltar," he said.

Spain's foreign minister Alfonso Dastis, who was due to meet with Brexit secretary David Davis on Monday, commented "It seems someone is losing their cool".

Speaking to reporters on a flight to Jordan, Mrs May was asked if Britain's approach to Gibraltar should be described as "jaw jaw, not war war".

"It's definitely jaw jaw," the PM replied, laughing when she was asked to rule out a war with Spain.

However the obscure language was unhelpful for non-native English speakers in the European media trying to clarify the PM's position.

At a foreign lobby briefing at 10 Downing Street on Monday, one European journalist said she had looked up "jaw jaw" and found a definition that said it was "pointless talk". Was the prime minister implying that Brexit negotiations were pointless, she asked?

Mrs May's spokesman had to painfully clarify that it was a reference to an old Winston Churchill quote, and in context "jaw jaw" merely meant "dialogue".

Another European journalist asked directly "can you rule out war between the UK and Spain", to which the spokesman replied "Yes, I can rule that out".

Gibraltar's future would certainly feature in the Brexit negotiations, he said.

Gibraltar is not part of the UK - it is technically an Overseas Territory, a leftover colony from the days of empire, which Spain ceded to the British in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 (though Spain disputes this).

It has a separate constitution, government and parliament - under the sovereignty of the Queen. And while it entered the EU under the UK's umbrella, it did so under different rules: it is not part of the Customs Union, for example and it has long enjoyed an open border with Spain.

Gibraltar's constitution says the UK is entirely responsible for Gibraltar's "external relations".

In reply to a question from Fairfax Media as to whether Gibraltar would necessarily leave the EU along with the UK, the prime minister's spokesman said it was clear that "the whole of the UK will be leaving the EU".

The government's White Paper, published in the lead-up to the beginning of Brexit negotiations, said "As the UK leaves the EU, the unique relationships that??? the Overseas Territories have with the EU will also change".

However it was vague on how they would change. It noted that "Gibraltar will have particular interests, given that the EU Treaties apply to a large extent in Gibraltar", and that representatives of the Gibraltar government would be part of regular Brexit meetings.

Fabian Picardo, chief minister of Gibraltar, said on Sunday it was "only fair and right that a (Brexit) deal should also apply to Gibraltar".

"Gibraltar('s sovereignty) is not on the table as a chip but there's a lot to talk about," he said.