With a clear and growing majority of Britons eager to see the country out of the European Union, and pressing for a referendum, one would expect Brussels to treat the UK with kids gloves. One would expect Eurocrats to go out of their way to prove the alleged advantages of membership in the European Union, and to take each and every opportunity to convince voters to change their mind. Furthermore, that may allow the pro-EU minority in the UK to start campaigning, going beyond grand words and empty rhetoric and pointing at concrete, tangible benefits.

All of this, however, is a mere fantasy. Where are the apostles of “freedom of movement” when it takes seven hours to cross a land border? Where are those valiant defenders of peace in the Old Continent when a member state deploys its naval assets against another one? Where are the architects of the Single Market, when a hospital demands a payment in cash up front to treat an urgent case from a fellow EU member state? Where are the prophets of equality when cars waiting to cross a border are forced into two separate queues, based on the nationality of the driver? Where are they, when two vehicles are torched because of their licence plates?

Where is Europe? Where is the European Union?

The answer is clear: nowhere.

The EU is nowhere when civilians are being bullied. Nowhere where their livelihood is being attacked. Nowhere when they are discriminated. Nowhere, where they are made to stand for hours under the sun. Nowhere, where they are forced to live under constant fear of punitive actions.

The EU is nowhere.

Why? Because the EU does not believe in freedom. It does not believe in the freedom to belong to one country, rather than another, and it does not believe in the freedom of a country to decide whether to belong to the European Union.

The Eurocrats have no intention to try to convince Britons to vote for continued membership in the EU, because the Eurocrats do not believe in referenda. Nor do they believe in elections, or the Common Law, or any other of the traditional freedoms evolved over time in our Islands under our Constitutional Monarchy. Just like they do not believe that Britons should have a choice whether to remain or not in the EU, neither do they believe that the people of Gibraltar should have a choice to decide their own future. This is the ultimate reason why Brussels is not lifting a finger in defence of the Rock. Full of a fundamentalist belief in their quasi-religious cause, Eurocrats cannot entertain the thought of anyone not wishing to belong to their “paradise on earth.” They will do nothing for the UK, and they will do nothing to engage British voters, instead, all of their energies will be devoted to preventing a referendum. If they are so sure that the EU is a force for good, why not let people vote?

Now, Gibraltar is not surrendering. The Rock did not surrender while surrounded by the Axes and its allies, and will not surrender now. The people of Gibraltar will remain free to decide their own destiny. Also, Gibraltar is not alone. However, let us never forget that in the Rock's hour of need, Brussels was nowhere to be seen. For many, this adds nothing new, it is long ago that they realized that it was not in the British national interest to remain in the EU. However, for others who may still harbour some doubts, who may still be undecided about their vote in the coming referendum, let them pay close attention to this silence, which should dispel their remaining doubts.