The Rock

Gibraltar is little understood beyond the peninsula itself. Gibraltarians are proudly British with results from 2 referendums ((1967 and 2001) both coming in at over 90% in favour of remaining British. This nationalism has often portrayed as ‘brits abroad’ in the media, however the reality is more complicated. The Rock’s location as an access point to the Mediterranean has meant Gibraltar has played a role in many of the UK’s conflicts, with historian Nicholas Rankin writer even claiming Hitler lost the Second World War by failing to capture Gib. As the British Empire crumbled post WW2 Gibraltar remained. This does not make it a relic; despite its isolated location it shares similar ideals to the UK as a multi-cultural and diverse nation that has welcomed others. As Brexit looms Gibraltar stands in a unique position, it voted Remain by 96% and will soon be facing the consequences of a result it never wanted.

Luke Archer is a photographer based in London, UK. He is currently completing a master’s degree in photography at the Arts University Bournemouth. Luke is also founder and editor of Loupe, a free photography magazine distributed across the UK.