Spanish PM snubs IDS over Gibraltar

Iain Duncan Smith has been snubbed by the Spanish premier who is refusing to meet him because of the Tories' stance on Gibraltar.

The Conservative leader had been due to hold an hour-long meeting with Jose Maria Aznar in Madrid today. But his aides were told by Spain that Mr Duncan Smith would not be welcome unless he toned down his opposition to any deal with Spain over the colony.

Mr Duncan Smith - who has been critical of the Government's talks over Gibraltar - made clear he would not back down. The meeting was then cancelled. Mr Aznar, a centre-Right prime minister who is an ally of Tony Blair on EU matters, is becoming more irritated over the lack of progress of a deal on the Rock.

Britain and Spain are locked in talks over the future of the colony, but while Britain is insisting that any deal struck this week is final, the Spaniards want an interim agreement that would allow them in the future, to take over sovereignty of the Rock.

Despite the snub from Mr Aznar, Mr Duncan Smith will visit Gibraltar tomorrow, followed by trips to Portugal and France on Wednesday to see how their health services work. His visit to Gibraltar is expected to see him being given a very warm welcome from its 30,000 residents.

It will contrast strongly with the last visit to the Rock from Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who was greeted with booing and cries of "traitor" from local people. Mr Straw has been attempting to reassure Gibraltarians that they would have the right of veto over any deal, by giving them a referendum on the issue of dual sovereignty with Spain.