Hattersley Memorandum
Encyclopedia
The Memorandum by Her Majesty's Government on the Report of the Constitution Committee, or the Hattersley Memorandum for short (by Roy Hattersley
, Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
of the United Kingdom), dated 26 June 1976, was the answer of the Labour
British Government to proposed constitutional changes in Gibraltar
ruling out the possibility of integration of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom
.
In September 1975, Roy Hattersley
, Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
had visited Gibraltar and made it clear that the integration with the United Kingdom was not an option for Gibraltar.
However, during early 1976, a Gibraltarian inter-party Constitution Committee began to work on a proposal of constitutional changes that involved a further integration of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom. A delegation of the Constitution Committee visited London
in June 1976, but were unable to convince the United Kingdom Government which, as response, issued a memorandum dated 26 June 1976 rejecting the proposals on the grounds of "avoid innovations which might result in prolongation of the frontier restrictions imposed by Spain
". The memorandum ruled out the option of integration of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom.
Apart for removing such an option from the constitutional and political development of Gibraltar, it effectively disbanded the Integration with Britain Party
, which had been in office from 1969 to 1972, and was the main supporter of the integration of Gibraltar into the United Kingdom.
Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.-Early life:...
, Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
of the United Kingdom), dated 26 June 1976, was the answer of the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
British Government to proposed constitutional changes in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
ruling out the possibility of integration of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
In September 1975, Roy Hattersley
Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.-Early life:...
, Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
had visited Gibraltar and made it clear that the integration with the United Kingdom was not an option for Gibraltar.
However, during early 1976, a Gibraltarian inter-party Constitution Committee began to work on a proposal of constitutional changes that involved a further integration of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom. A delegation of the Constitution Committee visited London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in June 1976, but were unable to convince the United Kingdom Government which, as response, issued a memorandum dated 26 June 1976 rejecting the proposals on the grounds of "avoid innovations which might result in prolongation of the frontier restrictions imposed by Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
". The memorandum ruled out the option of integration of Gibraltar with the United Kingdom.
Apart for removing such an option from the constitutional and political development of Gibraltar, it effectively disbanded the Integration with Britain Party
Integration with Britain Party
The Integration with Britain Party was a political party in Gibraltar established in February 1967. Although it never won an election, it was briefly in power from 1969 to 1972 when Robert Peliza of the IWBP was Chief Minister.- History :...
, which had been in office from 1969 to 1972, and was the main supporter of the integration of Gibraltar into the United Kingdom.