Forget the 48%. What if 97% voted “Remain”? In Gibraltar they did.

Gibraltar, the 6.8 km² British Overseas Territory on Spain’s southern coast voted 97% to remain. Yet it faces the same uncertain future as the rest of the UK. Gibraltar Chief Minister, The Hon Fabian Picardo was on The Andrew Marr Show this weekend, talking about the impact of Brexit.

The Chief Minister explained that some elements of the EU rules, such a Customs Union and the single market in goods, already apply in a different way to Gibraltar. This should continue. “The people of Gibraltar have been very clear. In looking at what deal the UK does, we mustn’t see it as a binary deal. It will be a multi-faceted deal, and one of those facets must be the case of Gibraltar.”

Gibraltar wants freedom of movement even if the rest of the UK does not. However, freedom of movement means something different for Gibraltar. In the UK it means immigration and the right of establishment in the UK. People are not looking to establish in Gibraltar. “Freedom of movement means travelling in and out on the day. 10,000 people come from Spain every day to work in Gibraltar, making us the 2^nd largest employer in Andalucía.”

So what does the Chief Minister think Gibraltar will do if there isn’t a special deal on the table? “Gibraltar will continue to stay British,” said the Chief Minister. “It’s a red, white and blue Brexit for us, even if that seems like a very hard choice now.”

What remains is the risk that Spain will play the Gibraltar card at the 11^th hour of negotiations. Indeed, Spain has already intimated as much.

The Chief Minister is clear that Theresa May and Boris Johnson are listening, but they may need to do more than that if Gibraltar isn’t to become a bargaining chip when we finally see what cards everyone is holding.