Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith has pressed ahead with his visit to Gibraltar despite Spain's prime minister cancelling a meeting with him at the 11th hour.

Jose Maria Aznar - a close ally of Tony Blair - snubbed Mr Duncan Smith because he opposes a deal on Gibraltar's sovereignty.

Mr Duncan Smith arrived in the colony on Tuesday during time out from a fact-finding tour of France and Portugal to learn more about how their health systems work.

The Conservative leader believes last week's talks between Mr Blair and Mr Aznar were doomed and could damage long-term relations between the two countries.

The Tories were told that Mr Duncan Smith was not welcome at a planned meeting with Mr Aznar, unless he toned-down his rhetoric against a compromise on the colony's future.

The Tory leader refused and his trip to Madrid, which was also due to include talks with the deputy Spanish health minister and a hospital visit, was called off.

Warm welcome

He said he did not blame Spain for pulling out of their planned meeting in Madrid.

Instead, his anger was directed at Mr Blair for entering discussions on the future of Gibraltar in the first place.

He said the British government had wrongly built up Spanish expectations over the possibility of sharing sovereignty of the rock.

While foreign secretary Jack Straw was heckled and jeered when he visited Gibraltar earlier this month, Gibraltarians were expected to give the Tory leader a warm reception.

Mr Duncan Smith has been fiercely critical of talks between Spain and Britain over shared sovereignty of Gibraltar - a British colony for almost 300 years.

Conservatives backed the calls of those living in the colony to have the talks called off.

Mr Aznar, a centre-right politician, had been due to welcome his British counterpart to Madrid on Monday.

Referendum

But on Sunday night a Conservative Central Office spokesman said. "The invitation to Spain has been withdrawn."

Spain's decision to turn Mr Duncan Smith away comes after talks with the British government about Gibraltar's future stalled.

Mr Blair and Mr Aznar had agreed the need for progress and had hoped to thrash out a compromise on the territory's status.

But to the delight of Gibraltarians - who are overwhelmingly against handing over any power - the talks faltered over Spain's desire to have complete sovereignty at some time.

A further sticking point was Britain's insistence that any deal would have to be approved in a referendum of people on the Rock.

The British and Spanish governments have admitted the talks are experiencing difficulties, but still hope to reach a deal by the summer.