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Majorcan farmers are calling for British holidaymakers to be “disinfected” when they arrive at Palma airport to halt the flow of foot-and-mouth disease. Thousands of residents in southern Spain are calling for the withdrawal of the British nuclear submarine Tireless from Gibraltar because they fear for their safety. Spanish beef farmers claim that their industry has been decimated by Mad Cow disease, a disease they allege was caused by Britain and a Spanish woman was one of the victims of Britain's latest railway disaster. I don't think Britain's reputation in Spain could be any lower and you can't blame them. What is happening in Britain at the moment, if you see it from a Spanish perspective, is completely outrageous. Our railways are a shambles and dangerous, our livestock is infected and ships of the once mighty Royal Navy break down. A very sad state of affairs and probably you get a better perspective of Britain seen from abroad with the advantage of comment and opinion from non-British subjects. I must admit I was glad that England beat Spain so comprehensively at football because it's been about the only positive argument to come out of England this week.

Even if the foot-and-mouth crisis is resolved relatively quickly and everything appears to return to normal again, I doubt if Britain's reputation will ever recover. It has been severely tarnished and I am not surprised. What has happened in Britain this week is an absolute disaster for everyone and we are all feeling the consequences.

Jason Moore