Spanish fury over our Gibraltar celebration

A huge diplomatic row broke out between Britain and Spain today over government plans for Gibraltar's 300th anniversary as a British colony.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon will be accompanied by a Royal Navy warship on a formal visit tomorrow to celebrate.

But Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos today described the trip as "unfriendly" and claimed it would undermine relations between the two countries.

The Foreign Office said it regretted the "emotional tone" of the criticism in an article today by Mr Moratinos in Spain's leading daily El Pais.

"This commemoration of a past military event weakens the relationships with Spain," Mr Moratinos wrote.

"It turns out to be very strange that in this 21st century, the military occupation of part of a (EU) member state's territory is commemorated by another member state."

Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana brushed off the complaints. "To try and lecture us on how we should commemorate ... is really none of their business and somewhat impertinent," he said.