I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but........if the spare wheel is needed, the central spindle should be removed and then the whole rack should hinge rearwards, away from the car and access to the spare is gained?? Bit awkward if actually being used for luggage!!
Where are the hinges? Looking at your photos it looks just like mine. To get to the spare wheel, remove the spindle then lift the whole rack off its mounting pegs.
Inconvenient maybe but the least of your worries. Wait till you have to jack it up on the roadside to change wheels! This summer, I went to assist a fellow Morganeer with a wheel change and despite having the standard tool kit to hand, I found that he had secured his spare wheel against theft with a hefty bicycle wire whip and padlock. The lock was so corroded it would not release and the whip was too thick to cut without bolt croppers. So the AA had to be called. (Obviously, whoever does his annual service, does not bother to remove the wheel for inspection underneath!)
To put things in perspective, the chances that you will ever get a puncture are slim anyway.
