Tom Collins: Las Malvinas should follow Gibraltar in fleeing a sinking empire

In a commentary about the World Cup and Britain’s post-imperial decline, Tom Collins links international football results to the continuing debate over the Falkland Islands and Gibraltar. Writing as an Irish News columnist and former editor, he describes watching the World Cup “from afar” and argues that FIFA’s decision-making has disappointed him enough to join a boycott list that includes Amazon, Facebook and X. He says England’s elimination by Argentina was a summer highlight because it revived unresolved issues tied to the Falklands, referencing the 1982 invasion by Argentine dictator General Leopoldo Galtieri and earlier British Foreign Office negotiations to “find a way out.” Collins also claims Spain’s recent agreement on the collapse of the border with Gibraltar signals a shift toward Europe. The piece further argues that the economic benefits could follow reintegration, citing tourism, fishing, and oil and gas.