[MP-Ryan]

...because both countries apparently suck at it.  Excerpts:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/britain-considers-legal-action-against-spain-over-gibraltar/article13708608/

Britain gained control of Gibraltar, a tiny part of Spain measuring about seven square kilometres, in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Spain has said Britain’s occupation is a relic of colonial times and the territory should be returned. However, the overwhelming majority of Gibraltar’s population want to remain part of the United Kingdom.

In response to the reef, Spain introduced strict border controls at the only crossing with Gibraltar and it is considering introducing a €50 fee, or about $69, for travellers. Gibraltar has said the actions have caused lengthy delays at the border and it alleges the fee would violate European Union regulations. Britain is considering heading to the European Court over the issue, a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday.

Spanish foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo, who has been an ardent advocate for returning Gibraltar to Spain, is also considering forming a united front with Argentina over Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. That could be significant as Argentina has been ratcheting up its grievances over the Falklands in recent months and the country is current in the midst of a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Spain is also considering going to the International Court of Justice.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23668589

Spain said it had an "obligation" to police the border, and insisted its controls were legal and proportionate.

A government spokesman also said Spain was considering taking the dispute to the UN Security Council, where it could seek the support of Argentina.

He told the BBC that although the Falkland Islands - over which Britain went to war with Argentina - and Gibraltar were different issues, there were similarities between the two disputes.

The issues to be raised at the UN could include disputed waters, Britain's failure to comply with previous UN resolutions and the disputed stretch of land which links Gibraltar and Spain, he said.

The row was sparked after Gibraltar created an artificial reef which, the Spanish say, will destroy fishing in the area.

Linking natural resource disputes to bogus territorial claims, particularly when the populations of those areas have roundly rejected losing their current status, will will neither country any points.

[BloodEagle]

Someone over there needs to put a bit of stick about.

[An4ximandros]

I have the prefect solution to all territorial disputes, both present and future. Give everything to our eventual Chinese overlords.

[Phantom Hoover]

don't you understand ryan, those people who have lived there for generations are actually just imperialist stooges with no right to the land they live on (oh man, i didn't realise that article even drags ulster up as another example; what a ****ing twat)

[Dragon]

As if one friggin' war for those islands wasn't enough... Really, ask the population, whatever they say, it goes. Last time I heard, that was the point of democracy.

[StarSlayer]

I don't suppose Britain can call in its marker for not letting Spain become a permanent French satellite?

[headdie]

ohh boy here we go again, wondered when this little bit of history would bite again

[karajorma]

Cause Spain is rushing to give Melilla and Ceuta back to the Moroccans. And they didn't stage an armed intervention over Perejil

****ing hypocrites.

Let them take it to the international court. Britain will simply have to join forces with Morocco and point out that every single word they are saying is an argument for why they need to give up their territories in North Africa.

The Spanish government is pretty obviously doing this to cause a distraction over the economic issues the country faces. Ironically they're going to cause a bigger problem for themselves when British tourists start taking their money somewhere else.