Spain doubled down on its threat to 'veto' Brexit today insisting an EU-brokered compromise was not enough.

Madrid is insisting the divorce deal is reopened to add new guarantees on Gibraltar, a British territory on the southern Spanish coast.

Britain has insisted there will be no concessions and Brussels has called for calm in a bid to stop the last minute flare up from botching Sunday's summit to seal the deal.

But Spanish government sources warned today: 'We don't have enough guarantees on Gibraltar and the future relationship with the EU, and our veto to the Brexit deal and the political declaration remains.'

The latest intervention comes after a top Spanish bureaucrat compared British sovereignty over Gibraltar to the Soviet Union's control of East Germany during angry exchanges over Brexit.

Pablo Garcia-Berdoy 'shouted' at his German counterpart as permanent representative to the EU, Michael Clauss, as Mr Clauss urged Madrid not to derail Brexit over Gibraltar.

Theresa May (pictured today in Downing Street) spoke to the Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez last night in a bid to end the diplomatic flare up that has rocked the final phase of the negotiations

Madrid made clear today it remained deeply unhappy with the future status of the Rock (file), insisting any future UK-EU trade must not apply there without a Spanish say.

Last night tensions over The Rock rose as Spain's Prime Minister vowed to 'veto' Brexit unless the UK made concessions before a summit of Eu leaders on Sunday.

Mr Garcia-Berdoy's disagreement came on Tuesday as officials worked behind the scenes to secure an agreement that would provide the framework for Sunday's meeting.

One diplomat present told The Times the Spaniard told his German colleague: 'We supported the unification of Germany. Where is the solidarity now?'

Spain's Prime Minister last night warned he would 'veto Brexit' unless the withdrawal deal was changed to offer new guarantees on Gibraltar.

The Rock has become a last-minute sticking point in Brexit talks as Madrid warned a future UK-EU trade deal could not apply in Gibraltar without a Spanish say.

Pedro Sanchez, who has spoken to Theresa May in a bid to make a breakthrough ahead of Sunday's EU summit, said tonight: 'Our positions remain far away.

'My Government will always defend the interests of Spain. If there are no changes, we will veto Brexit.'

Luis Marco Aguiriano, Spanish minister for the EU, earlier accused Theresa May and the EU of 'acting under the cover of darkness' over Gibraltar.

Britain's PM has vowed to deliver a deal for the 'whole UK family' including Gibraltar and other overseas territories.

Spain cannot outright veto the Brexit deal at Sunday's summit to sign off the divorce but Brussels will be desperate to get unanimous agreement from EU leaders.

Mr Aguiriano said an article in the draft Brexit text had been added 'under the cover of darkness and with treachery' behind Spain's back.

Madrid has vented its anger at article 184 of the draft deal, which says the EU and the UK will seek to 'negotiate rapidly the agreements governing their future relationship' between the official day of withdrawal on 29 March 2019 and the end of a transition period in December 2020.'

EU sources have made clear irritation at Spain's decision to try and reopen the issue of Gibraltar at the 11th hour of the talks.

Brussels spokesman Margaritis Schinas confirmed today 'work is continuing' to resolve differences over Gibraltar, the tiny territory at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula that was ceded to Britain in 1713 but is still claimed by Spain.

'There are ideas, contacts are ongoing,' Schinas said, without providing further details.

Last year's EU guidelines on the Brexit negotiations effectively gave Spain veto powers over future relations between the bloc and the British overseas territory.

Mr Sanchez had said on Tuesday that his government 'cannot accept' Gibraltar's future being determined by negotiations at the EU level.

Spain 's Prime Minister tonight warned he would 'veto Brexit ' unless the withdrawal deal was changed to offer new guarantees on Gibraltar

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (pictured) said on Tuesday that his government 'cannot accept' Gibraltar's future being determined by negotiations at the EU level

Following the call between Mr Sanchez and Mrs May on Wedneday night, a Downing Street spokesman said: '(Mrs May) said there had been good engagement between the UK, the Government of Spain and the Government of Gibraltar in order to come to an agreement in the Withdrawal Agreement and associated package of Memoranda of Understanding relating to Gibraltar.

'She said that the UK and Government of Gibraltar looked forward to these discussions continuing as we discuss the future relationship.

'The Prime Minister reiterated her commitment to agreeing a deal that works for the whole UK family including Gibraltar, the other UK Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies.'

Best for Britain champion and former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron MP said: 'This spat over Gibraltar could potentially sink Theresa May's bad Brexit deal once and for all.

'The people of Gibraltar must not be used as pawns in a political game between Whitehall and Brussels.

'The political declaration released today did not mention Gibraltar once. It seems to me that this declaration is all about unicorns and the never never rather than about facts. With issues with Scottish Tories and the DUP on one side and the Spanish government on the other the government looks like it is stuck between a rock and a hard plaice.

'I worry that in this messy divorce we might be leaving one of the children behind.'</s>European Union negotiators met Friday to finalize the draft withdrawal treaty between Britain and the bloc, before Sunday’s summit to endorse the Brexit deal, but at the 11th hour Spain demanded guarantees over the future of Gibraltar.

Spain has required changes to the agreement and an accompanying declaration on a new EU-Britain relationship to clarify that the future of Gibraltar, ceded to Britain in 1713 but still claimed by Spain, be decided in direct talks between Madrid and London.

 

 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted that Britain and Spain “remain far away'' on the issue and “if there are no changes, we will veto Brexit.''

Chief British Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo criticized Spain's demand on a written guarantee, saying “Gibraltar has demonstrated that we actually want a direct engagement with Spain on issues.''

Picardo told the BBC that “Spain is the physical and geographical gateway to Europe for Gibraltar,” adding that “there is absolutely no need for us to be vetoed into being brought to the table.''

 

 Spain does not have veto power on the Brexit agreement, which does not have to be approved unanimously, but it would prevent any free-trade deal between Britain and the European Union, which would require the approval of all 27 EU member states.

The Brexit package is also facing strong opposition in the British parliament, which must vote in favor for it to take effect. Otherwise, Britain would leave the bloc on March 29, 2019, without an agreement to mitigate economic disruption.</s>MADRID, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Spain said on Friday its demands for a say over Gibraltar should be guaranteed in a Brexit treaty and not just in an accompanying political declaration that is being negotiated in Brussels. “We don’t have enough guarantees on Gibraltar and the future relationship with the EU, and our veto to the Brexit deal and the political declaration remains,” a government source said. (Reporting by Belen Carreno, Editing by Julien Toyer and Andrew Heavens)</s>MADRID (Reuters) - Spain on Friday insisted that a Brexit deal should make clear Madrid would have a direct say how the future relationship between the EU and Britain could impact Gibraltar, and this would have to be discussed bilaterally.

“It is clear, and the government is determined, that it must be absolutely guaranteed that any agreement between the European Union and Britain require the prior approval of Spain, relating to Gibraltar,” government spokeswoman Isabel Celaa said.</s>The pound has been placed on the defensive against the US dollar this morning as Spain threatens to “stop the clock” on Brexit negotiations, unnerving some pound investor.

The Spanish government has accused the UK of “treachery” acting “under the cover of darkness” as Madrid voices its opposition to parts of the text in the political declaration on post-Brexit relations that covers the future of Gibraltar.

Spain has long disputed the UK’s 300-year rule over Gibraltar and refuses to sign any agreement which could limit its future right to contest any deals pertaining to the Rock.

Marco Aguiriano, Spain’s Secretary of State for the EU, said yesterday: “We’re worried because this paragraph, which was introduced almost treacherously and under the cover of darkness, could be used by the UK in the future to argue that a future agreement between the EU and the UK could be applied to Gibraltar without necessarily requiring the prior agreement of Spain.”</s>Spain doesn't have a veto on the withdrawal agreement, which does not have to be approved unanimously. But it could hold up a future free-trade deal between Britain and the EU, which would require approval of all 27 EU nations.</s>Spain doesn't have a veto on the withdrawal agreement, which does not have to be approved unanimously. But it could hold up a future free-trade deal between Britain and the EU, which would require approval of all 27 EU nations.</s>LONDON (Reuters) - Gibraltar has worked with Spain to reach agreement over its place in the Brexit withdrawal agreement, its chief minister said on Friday, adding that any revision of the enclave’s place in the deal would reopen the whole agreement to renegotiation.

“We’ve worked very hard and have in fact reached agreement with Spanish colleagues in respect of Gibraltar’s role in the withdrawal process... in good faith, we’ve worked together and we’ve delivered,” Fabian Picardo told BBC radio, adding that Spain did not need to use a “veto” to bring Gibraltar to the table.

“If (the withdrawal agreement is) opened for one comma or one full-stop on Gibraltar, it’s going to be re-opened on any of the other issues.”</s>MADRID (Reuters) - Spain has a commitment from Britain to support the inclusion of clarifications on the status of Gibraltar in the Brexit package, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union Luis Marco Aguiriano said on Friday outside a meeting in Brussels.

Spain wants to see that commitment from Britain in writing before Sunday’s European Union summit, he said, adding that Spain wanted to clear up the issue of Gibraltar in the Brexit deal so as not to have to vote against the final package.</s>European Union negotiators are meeting today to try to clear the last hurdle before a Sunday summit is due to endorse the Brexit deal, but Spain’s eleventh-hour objections over Gibraltar mean the final text could not be ready until the last minute.

Four months before Britain leaves the EU, the legal divorce treaty and an accompanying political declaration on the two sides’ future ties are ready to be rubber-stamped by British prime minister Theresa May and the leaders of the 27 union states staying on together after Brexit.

Spain has asked for changes to the withdrawal treaty and the declaration on a new EU-UK relationship to make clear any decisions about the disputed British overseas territory of Gibraltar would only be taken in direct talks with Madrid.

Spain disputes British sovereignty of Gibraltar, which is perched on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula and the territory has frequently been the cause of tensions between Madrid and London.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said on Thursday that Spain will veto the draft deal on Britain’s exit from the European Union, if there are no changes made.

“After my conversation with Theresa May, our positions remain far away. My government will always defend the interests of Spain. If there are no changes, we will veto Brexit”, Mr Sanchez said in a tweet.

Spain does not have power to veto the draft withdrawal deal, as it is subject to a qualified majority vote, but EU leaders will be anxious to ensure that unanimity is achieved at Sunday’s summit meeting.

The Brexit package faces vehement opposition in the British parliament, which must vote in favour for it to take effect. Otherwise Britain risks crashing out of the bloc on March 29th, 2019, without an agreement to mitigate economic disruptions.

Determined not to allow any redrafting of either of the two texts and risk derailing the fragile process, EU states have instead proposed to address Spain’s concerns in a separate statement by the 27 leaders on Sunday that would not be part of negotiations with Britain.

The national leaders’ EU negotiators - or ‘sherpas’ - meet at 9am Irish time on Friday in Brussels and Mrs May will then come for talks with the head of the bloc’s executive, Jean-Claude Juncker, on Saturday evening, just hours before the summit.

EU diplomats hope a text could be agreed by Friday evening but they also fear Sanchez would want to make a case of discussing it at the top level on Sunday to show determination and win points with voters at home ahead of a December regional election.

The Brexit deal covers financial settlement, expatriates’ rights and the sensitive Irish border, as well as setting a blueprint for future trade and security ties. It must also be backed by the European Parliament to come into force next year. –Reuters
Spain threatens to vote against if there is no agreement on Gibraltar by which it demands new guarantees.