The Diplomat
The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, wrote yesterday to Liz Truss to congratulate her on her election as head of the Conservative Party and her more than likely appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth II.
Liz Truss beat former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak yesterday in the Conservative Party leadership election. As a result, Truss will become the third woman to head the British government today (after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May) thanks to the Conservatives’ parliamentary majority.
“I have expressed my warmest congratulations to Liz Truss on her selection as Conservative Party Leader and her likely appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Her Majesty the Queen,” Picardo declared, as reported by the Government of the Rock in a press release. “Liz has always been a great friend of Gibraltar and has worked very closely with us during her time as International Trade Secretary and Foreign Secretary,” he continued.
“As International Trade Secretary, Liz was instrumental in delivering trade deals for Gibraltar and as Foreign Secretary we have worked very closely together on all issues not least on the negotiations for a UK/EU Treaty on Gibraltar’s future relationship with the EU,” he added. ” I have also personally thanked Ms Truss for her recent offer of support in relation to the OS 35 Incident and look forward to continuing to work closely with her as Prime Minister going forward,” he concluded.
Fabian Picardo also wrote last Friday to outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to thank him for “the personal support he and his cabinet colleagues have shown to Gibraltar throughout his time in office.” The chief minister was “particularly thankful” for Johnson’s efforts to ensure “the successful delivery of lifesaving vaccines to Gibraltar in the midst of the Pandemic which assisted greatly in our fight against COVID-19, the provision of a Sovereign Guarantee for ourCOVIDborrowing and his fulsome supportin the negotiations onGibraltar’s future relationship with the EU.”
Fabian Picardo held last March a meeting with Liz Truss in London in which they discussed the possibility that the UK and the EU will not reach an agreement on the future of the relationship of the Rock with the Union after Brexit.
