Brexit/Bremain referendum: Gibraltar workers and residents fear border queues and a Spain sovereignty 'snatch-back'

GIBRALTAR residents and workers who commute there daily are concerned about the effect a 'Brexit' will have on their lives – and of the 32,000 in the British-owned enclave who are eligible to vote in today's referendum, a majority plan to vote 'Remain'.

Their worries appear almost unanimous and span every age-group – even school children asked said they felt that, however positive or otherwise leaving the EU might be for the UK, for Gibraltar, it would 'not be a good thing'.

Everyday problems that could arise if Gibraltar – Britain's only overseas territory in the EU – was forced to leave the Union along with the 'mother' country include border control.

This is especially worrying for those who live in the province of Cádiz and work on the Rock, a common scenario for Brits and Spaniards alike.

“It's already difficult, with so many police at the border, but it would get worse,” said one young woman interviewed.

As the UK does not form part of the border-check-free Schengen zone, the morning trip to the office and the return home at night involves showing a passport.

But immigration queues and other red tape could easily become an unwelcome feature if the daily commute involved travelling to a non-EU country.

It would mean a very long day indeed, getting up far earlier to beat the queues and getting home very late at night.

Possibly, some British expats living in the far south of Spain would decide to move to the Rock to avoid losing basic rights such as healthcare and visa-free residence.

Those interviewed in Gibraltar on the street mostly say they believe the UK itself 'would be fine' without the EU, but that the Rock would probably not.

They mostly fear Spain attempting to snatch it back after more than 300 years under British rule.

“Without the EU to protect us from that, Spain may try to regain sovereignty,” one woman speculated.

The polls opened this morning at 08.00hrs mainland Spain time (07.00hrs BST) and the Spanish national media is closely watching the voting process.

Spanish MEPs, and national party members, of various political colours say they strongly advise against voting to leave the EU.

Most MEPs, including those from Spain – and a high number of members of the Spanish public – do not believe there is the slightest chance of a Brexit.

But the polls are very close, although the odds are drifting farther apart at the bookmakers'.

One of the UK's largest betting companies, Ladbrokes, has 'Remain' on 1/4 and 'Leave' on 3/1.

This means that anyone who placed 10 pounds on 'Remain' would earn 12.50 back if they won their bet, whilst those who backed 'Brexit' for the same amount would scoop up 40 pounds if the vote was indeed to leave.

Expats in Spain who are eligible – those who have not lived outside the UK for 15 years or more – and who chose to vote have mostly cast their ballots days or even weeks ago, by post, although some have appointed a proxy voter in the UK and others have even travelled there to vote in person.