Iain Duncan Smith has cancelled his trip to Spain after the country's prime minister called off a meeting because of the Tory leader's views on Gibraltar.

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

The invitation to Spain has been withdrawn

Tory spokesman

A spokesman for the Conservative Party said their leader would still go ahead with a planned trip to Gibraltar on Tuesday.

He would also be going on to France and Portugal as part of a planned trip to look at the way their health systems work.

The Tories were told that Mr Duncan Smith was not welcome at a planned meeting with premier Jose Maria 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.

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.

Fact-finding

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

Mr Duncan Smith refused to back down over Gibraltar

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 "The invitation to Spain has been withdrawn."

He said a planned trip to Gibraltar on Tuesday would continue as planned.

It will be followed by fact-finding trips to Portugal and France on Wednesday, to see how their health services work.

Referendum

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

UK Prime Minister Tony 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.