On a clear day, we can see the North African coast, with Morocco only a short hop across the water, and our famous Rock diligently watches over the entrance to the Mediterranean. I have a British passport, I can speak Spanish, my surname is Italian, and my wife is Maltese, so I feel very much a mix of European unity. I spent my summers at the beach, I am a voracious consumer of fresh fish, and I have always enjoyed having a close-knit family to hand. In all honesty, there are worse places in which to grow up.