though experience after the Gibraltar referendum of
September 1967 warns us that the effect of such
stimulants on Gibraltarian morale is liable to wear
off fairly soon.
The Act would in effect steal a good deal of
t'e thunder of the Integration with Britain party.
If it were a parent that the Aot resulted from
pressure on F'G by Hassan and Isola, it would there-
fore strengthen their internal political position
vis-eria the integrationists, for what that may be
worth.
In strict legal torns it may be that the Act
would make no difference to the relationship between
the U.K. and Gibraltar because nothing could legally
prevent a future Parliament from amending or repealing
the Act. But in practice Gibraltar's position
vis-a-vis the U.X. would be strengthened (which is
the objective of those who seek the Act) and this
cold scarcely fail to affect the nature of the
relationship in political if not in legal terms.
The consultation with the Law Officess
Since
envisages certain circumstances in which the Act
might have to be amended or repealed (e.g. to comply
with a judgment by the International Court).
the whole object of the Act would be to give the
Gibraltarians a veto over any change in the status
of Gibraltar, it would doubtless be argued that the
Aot itself should not be amended or repealed without
prior Gibraltarian consent. Indeed it could be
expected that when the Bill was originally intro-
duced some Members of Parliament would support it
avowedly on that ground.
The core of the Gibraltar problen, whether
looked at from an international, a military or an
/economic