Another security separator that goes unmentioned

As well as the various walls other than those built by Israel that I mentioned yesterday, there is of course the Melilla border fence built by the Spanish to protect their enclave in North Africa from people entering from Morocco. Again no mention of this security fence seems worth mentioning by the BBC or the United Nations whilst they obsess over the Israeli security fence; why?

It is also odd that the Spanish seem not to mention their possession of Melilla (or indeed Ceuta, Islas Chafarinas, the Peñón de Alhucemas and the Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera) when they lay claim to Gibraltar from the British imperialists.

EU election results - two queries/points

Gibraltar Parliament area voted Conservative = 51.9, Labour = 18.5, Lib Dem = 17.7, Green = 3.1, UKIP = 1.4, BNP = 1.3

Area names: I recognise the Welsh areas such as Ceredigion and Meirionnydd Nant Conwy; Welsh being a recognised second language in Wales. But why is there an area called Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar? Surely The Western Isles would be more recognisable for the small proportion of the UK population who do not speak Gaelic. Oh hold I on, I see that:

"It is the only local council in Scotland to have a Gaelic-only name. Western Isles Council was retracted in 1997 under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997, meaning that the former Western Isles are now officially named Na h-Eileanan Siar, even in English-language contexts."

Gibraltar note

Just a note to the Spanish, Gibraltar's citizens will vote in the EU elections on Thursday as part of the UK's south-west constituency.

More on Spain and Gibraltar

Following on from this last week I read today that:

"They've tried invasion, diplomacy and downright skulduggery to grab a piece of Gibraltar during the past 300 years.

But now the Spanish have played their trump card by laying claim to 20 square miles of sea around the Rock...in the name of the environment.

And it seems to have worked – for the moment, at least. For the EU has granted Spain legal rights over British waters surrounding Gibraltar.

But the move has sparked protests from Britain and the Gibraltar government and led to a confrontation between Royal Navy and Spanish warships.

The grab for the section of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) came about when Spain convinced the European Commission to include Gibraltar’s waters within a new 69sq mile EU marine conservation area called the Estrecho Oriental, to be maintained by Spain.

However, under EU law, only the member state with sovereignty over the land or sea in question can apply for it to be designated an EU conservation site – meaning the EU has recognised Spain’s possession of British water."

That's Spain making a land (well sea) grab aided by the EU. Don't you just love the EU, such good friends to us...

The next time you hear the Spanish decrying British imperialism in Gibraltar, just remember Ceuta and Melilla - Spain's Imperial territories in North Africa.

What is it with Spanish speaking countries and British territories?

Recently I have reported about the Argentinians rattling their sabres again at the Falklands. Today I read that the Spanish are trying their hand at threatening Gibraltar again. Once again I have to ask if a Gordon Brown lead Labour government with David Miliband as a Foreign Minister is in any state to protect our territories.