Gibraltar Exclusive: Sovereignty sacrificed in 700-page Treaty hidden from MPs - Shadow Foreign Sec Priti Patel tells us it's “dodgy cover-up”
With the legal text about to be signed: “For months we've heard nothing from them while the Spanish and EU have been meticulously briefed.” - Priti Patel from Washington DC
Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2025
EU-Spanish-UK-Gibraltarian text is agreed but neither you nor your MP are allowed to see it
In a Facts4EU exclusive, we can reveal what before the ink is dry on Starmer's sovereignty hand-over of the vital Chagos Islands, another piece of British territory containing a key UK military base looks set to have its sovereignty sliced and diced - this time to appease the Spanish and the EU.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel comments exclusively to GB News and Facts4EU.Org
Buried for months from Parliamentary sight, Priti Patel claims sovereignty guarantees have once again “fallen apart” under a secret deal negotiated by the Government.
“For months we've heard nothing from them while the Spanish and EU have been meticulously briefed,” Ms Patel told us from Washington DC on Sunday.
- The Rt Hon Dame Priti Patel MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, from Washington DC, 22 Feb 2026
Last week's EU Commission statement makes it sound as if this is a 'done deal'
© EU Commission 2026
As the clock runs down, there are major concerns that insufficient time will be allowed by this Government to scrutinise the hundreds of pages of legal text until it has already been signed and the deal is done.
A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary
Another EXCLUSIVE report by the Brexit Facts4EU team, in collaboration with Stand for Our Sovereignty, and in close association with GB News, reveals shocking developments over the British territory of Gibraltar, following on from the sovereignty giveaway in the Chagos Islands which President Trump now wants to stop.
PLUS an important STOP PRESS - See further down this report!
This top-secret deal is set to be signed in just six weeks’ time by the EU Council and it will also require a vote in the EU Parliament. Given its length, we would expect a very thorough examination by the UK Parliament and considerable debate as promised by the then Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, when he made an announcement in the Commons that a deal had been done 'in principle'.
The Rt Hon David Lammy MP in the Commons, last June (2025)
"The right hon. Lady asks about parliamentary scrutiny. I assure her that we will follow the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act process, as is right. Parliament will be able fully to scrutinise the treaty, and to debate the terms of the treaty if it wishes, as she would expect."
- The Rt Hon David Lammy MP, then Foreign Secretary, House of Commons, 12 June 2025
Mr Lammy repeated this assurance over and over in answer to questions.
Rock steady for three centuries of British history
The Rock of Gibraltar sits at the gateway to the entire Mediterranean. It is a key British strategic asset, with its naval base and air base. It’s people have consistently voted overwhelmingly (by more than 99%) to remain British.
- British aircraft carrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth © MoD - click to enlarge
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory. Its Head of State is His Majesty King Charles III, who is represented locally by the Governor of Gibraltar. For centuries the people of the United Kingdom have been able to arrive in Gibraltar, be greeted by Gibraltarian border guards, and step onto British soil.
Gibraltar occupies an area of 2.6 square miles at the southern tip of Spain. Crucially Gibraltar has geographical and therefore strategic significance, with a large British naval base and a Ministry of Defence airport used by the RAF, which civilian airlines are also allowed to use.
Militarily Gibraltar has further importance for the United Kingdom and its allies. It is home to a location of UKSIGINT – the network of signal interception stations all around the world. This network is part of what makes the UK a leader in the global western intelligence community – a status which the EU has yet to achieve.
Revealed: UK's first sight of UK-EU Gibraltar Treaty
We can reveal that on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, the Gibraltarian Government held a meeting with the Opposition Party in Gibraltar to brief them in complete confidence on the deal that has been hatched.
To the right, for the first time in the UK, is a glimpse of this massive Treaty between the EU and the UK. This underlines the extent of it.
We understand that the legal text of the new treaty extends to more than 700 pages, excluding annexes.
The Treaty
Credit: X.com Gibraltar TV
Sir Keir's Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, admits while in Spain that deal is "agreed"
Credit: NEF (The organisers put the photo of one of the apes of Gibraltar on the screen behind him, not us.)
On Thursday (19 Feb 2026), Nick Thomas-Symonds, the UK Minister for EU Relations, spoke at a meeting of diplomats and businessmen in Madrid. Facts4EU has obtained a copy of a filming of the meeting. Whilst he attempted to avoid talking about Gibraltar, he was asked a specific question on when the UK Parliament will be able to see it and debate it. He confirmed that an agreement has been reached but clearly did not want to go into details.
“The Treaty will obviously be published shortly, so everybody will be able to see the details.”
“I’m delighted and pleased the agreement has been reached.”
- Nick Thomas-Symonds speaking in Madrid on Thursday
The anti-democratic EU at work, with Sir Keir’s full complicity
We understand this agreement is expected to enter into provisional force in six weeks’ time, on 10 April 2026 and we further understand that the EU Council had been given copies of it last week.
It seems that the Council is going to declare this Treaty as "EU-only", which means it would not require ratification by all 27 EU governments. This can take years, so bypassing this means the Treaty can enter into force much sooner than would otherwise be the case. Quite how this is justifiable, given that the UK is not part of the EU, is inexplicable. This is quite clearly an international treaty.
If ever there were the perfect example of how the EU is one of the most undemocratic, opaque, and dictatorial regimes on the planet, the new EU-UK-Gibraltar deal must be it.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel comments exclusively to Facts4EU.Org
Here is what Priti Patel told us in full.
“Labour has serious questions to answer about the Treaty they've negotiated with the EU over Gibraltar. For months we've heard nothing from them while the Spanish and EU have been meticulously briefed. A Treaty draft has been agreed but Labour ministers are not bringing it to Parliament yet.
“We already know that the claims previously made by Labour about the inclusion of sovereignty clauses have fallen apart while there are also serious concerns about the powers the Spanish and EU will be able to exercise and limits that could be placed on British nationals visiting Gibraltar. This is causing uncertainty that must be addressed by Labour publishing the Treaty so we can review and scrutinise it.
“With Labour seeking to reverse Brexit with their so-called EU reset, until they come clean with the Treaty, it will seem like they are involved in a dodgy cover-up and have something to hide.”
- The Rt Hon Dame Priti Patel MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, 22 Feb 2026
STOP PRESS
GB News has just learnt from Brexit Facts4EU that the EU Commission will release the text of the entire UK-EU Gibraltar Treaty to the EU public this week.
“This is outrageous,” said Shadow Minister Wendy Morton MP, standing in for Priti Patel while she is in meetings in Washington. “For this Labour Government to leave MPs without any chance to read through a 700+ page document and comment as the public would expect is completely unreasonable.”
First Chagos, now Gibraltar - how much more UK sovereignty is Sir Keir going to give away?
It must be said that Sir Keir Starmer is as complicit as the EU in the secrecy and in hiding the sovereignty giveaways we are quite certain this deal contains.
Protecting our overseas territories was a specific pledge in Labour's manifesto
© Labour Party 2024 - Click to enlarge
“Defending our security also means protecting the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, including the Falklands and Gibraltar. Labour will always defend their sovereignty and right to self-determination.”
After the Chagos debacle and now Gibraltar, are any of the UK’s other sovereign territories safe? How long before the Falklands – over which many British lives were lost or changed forever – is given to Argentina, with the urging of the Spanish and the EU Commission?
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What do we know so far?
Shortly before Labour came to power, the Spanish government issued a statement
“The Policia Nacional must carry out border controls. If Frontex agents are present, their role should be to support and complement the Policia Nacional.
“Therefore, the responsibility for conducting border inspections lies with the Policia Nacional, with Frontex serving an auxiliary function.”
- Spanish government statement, 22 May 2024
This meant uniformed and armed Spanish officers on British soil, policing the entry of British citizens.
A year later, David Lammy had finished "in principle" negotiations with the Spanish
Gibraltar's Fabian Picardo meeting David Lammy off the plane last year - Credit: GTV
Lord Redwood commented exclusively on this article for GB News and Facts4EU.
“This secret deal is yet another major violation of the Labour Manifesto promise to protect our overseas dependencies, following hard on the heels of their wish to give the Chagos away.
“Gibraltar has always voted nearly 100% to stay British, having no wish to be taken over by Spain. Allowing Spanish and EU officials to control our border is a disgrace. It means foreign staff controlling access to Gibraltar and doing so on a crucial airfield and naval base that is part of the UK. defences. The airport is made available for civilian use by the MOD and linked to our naval facilities to patrol the Mediterranean.
“How dare the PM undermine our control. How dare he claim he wants to strengthen our defences when he is busy undermining our control of two key combined air and naval bases at Gibraltar and Diego Garcia. Doesn't he remember Spain opposed our defence of the Falklands. Why is this PM so often on the side of our enemies? Why does he always want to give away our facilities? How much money is he also going to give away this time?
“The shocking lack of transparency and honesty is a disgrace. Once again well done Facts4EU in exposing it.”
- Lord (John) Redwood, commenting to Facts4EU.Org and GB News, 22 Feb 2026
Facts4EU warned about this deal last year
In June last year (2025) Facts4EU published a report based on the 'agreement in principle' which was agreed between David Lammy (then Foreign Secretary), Gibraltar's Chief Minister, and the unelected EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
The Rock crumbles under open borders assault
Excerpts from Facts4EU, June 2025
...the Government has now agreed to have armed officers of a foreign power resident on UK sovereign territory – territory which includes a UK military base.
In future, UK citizens will require permission from these foreign officers to step off a plane from the UK and pass through customs onto another part of UK territory. This act alone surrenders British sovereignty.
There can be no sovereignty when a foreign power bases its officers on British soil and determines who is allowed to pass at the airport and at the port facilities.
“In the area of goods, the Parties agreed on the principles underpinning the future customs union between the EU and Gibraltar, providing for strong cooperation between the respective customs authorities and removing checks on goods. There is also agreement on the principles of indirect taxation to be applied in Gibraltar, including on tobacco – that will avoid distortions and contribute to the prosperity of the whole region.
“Other important areas of the future EU-UK Agreement include level playing field commitments on State aid, taxation, labour, environment, trade and sustainable development, anti-money laundering, and transport – including the airport; the rights of frontier workers and social security coordination. Specific cooperation will also be included in environmental matters. The creation of an appropriate financial mechanism to promote cohesion and support training and employment in the region has also been agreed.”
This appears to mean Gibraltar will be under EU law, directives, and regulations. The last sentence also means that the UK will be expected to pay for these arrangements.
A rare congruence appears when looking at the parties involved in this agreement
Isn't just slightly odd they all look so happy, after what should have been a tough negotiation?
(Almost as if they were all on the same side...)
Credit: Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's Chief Minister, X.com
- David Lammy, UK Foreign Secretary, Labour Party
- Fabian Picardo, Gibraltarian Chief Minister, Socialist Labour Party
- José Manuel Albares, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Socialist Workers Party
- Maroš Šefčovič, EU Commissioner, former Soviet Communist about whom we will comment again in a subsequent report
Observations
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[ Sources: EU Commission | FCDO | Gibraltar House of Assembly | Gibraltar TV | Gibraltar Chronicle and Spanish press ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Mon 22 Feb 2026
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