TNAG-0831-FCO40-1039-Commonwealth-Parliamentary-Association-(CPA)-annual-conferen-1979 — Page 18

GIBRALTAR

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Executive authority is vested in the Governor in consultation with the Gibraltar Council, which consists of

the Governor, four ex-officio members, the Chief Minister and

four other Ministers. There is also a Council of Ministers

consisting of the Chief Minister, and a number of other Ministers (not less than four or more than eight) as may be prescribed by the Governor, acting after consultation with the Chief Minister. The Council of Ministers have responsi-

bility for certain "defined domestic matters" but the Governor may intervene in support of his responsibilities for defence,

external affairs, internal security and to maintain financial

stability.

The Gibraltar house of Assembly elections on 29 September 1976 resulted in a victory for ir Joshua lassan leader of the

Gibraltar Labour Farty and Association for the Advancement of Civil kights (GLF/AACK ). The CLP/AAC apart from a braak in 1969-1972 has held office continuously since the war.

At the Leferendum held in Gibraltar in September 1967 an overwhelming majority voted "voluntarily to retain their link with the United Kingdom, with democratic local institutions and with the United Kingdom retaining its present responsibilities", in preference to the alternative, which was to pass under Spanish sovereignty in accordance with the terms proposed by the Apanish Government in hay 1966. When the decision to hold a keferendum was announced in the house of Commons on 14 June 1967 it was made clear that, if the people of Gibraltar voted "to retain their link with the United Kingdom they would retain the right at any future time to opt by democratic means for joining ~pain,iin which event we would be ready to approach the i panish

Government accordingly.

The same announcement indicated that if the majority decided on the retention of the existing connections with Britain there would be subsequent discussions about "appropriate constitutional changes" which might be desired. These were held in Gibraltar in July 1968 under the Chairmanship of the then Minister of State (Lord Shepherd).