Spain finally growing up over Gibraltar ?

Spain today finally restarted direct flights from Spain to Gibraltar and allowed aircraft flying to Gibraltar to overfly Spanish airspace after a gap of 40 years whilst Spain has been acting like the dictatorship it was in 1965 when these bizarre restrictions were imposed.

I think today's move is a healthy one and, perhaps, a sign that Spain is finally growing up in its relationship with Britain and Gibraltar.

The fact that the people of Gibraltar are so overwhelmingly keen to remain British is less to do with their Britishness, more to do with their being anti Spanish. The Spanish have to realise, and perhaps they have, that acting like an old style dictatorship has had the exact opposite reaction that they hoped for amongst the Gibraltans.

Perhaps the Spanish will also halt their complaining to UEFA aimed at trying to block Gibraltar's entry to UEFA's european competitions. Sport should be free from petty politics.

Come on Spain, you've made big steps, now let the Gibraltans play football !