Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron throws a ball for a 10-year-old mongrel, during his visit to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London last week. Photo: Reuters

Britain asked Argentina’s ambassador to clarify remarks about Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday after she described his handling of a long-running dispute over the contested Falkland Islands as “foolish” and him as “dumb”.

In the latest twist in an ill-tempered feud between the two countries over the South Atlantic archipelago, Britain’s Foreign Office said it was seeking confirmation of what the ambassador, Alicia Castro, had said.

“If true, these comments are undiplomatic,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. “We are seeking confirmation of what was said with the Argentine Embassy. Our policy towards the Falkland Islands has not changed and will not change.”

Referring to a referendum in March in which residents were asked if the islands should remain a British Overseas Territory, a source from Cameron’s office added: “We don’t think it’s foolish to listen to 99.8 per cent of the population, who have made it very clear that they want to stay British.”

The contested islands, known as Las Malvinas by Argentines, remain a source of tension between London and Buenos Aires more than 30 years after Argentina unsuccessfully invaded them in an attempt to assert its sovereignty claim.

If true, these comments are undiplomatic

On Tuesday, Castro told Argentine lawmakers that Cameron had unwisely publicised comments about the Falklands by former Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio, made before he was named Pope earlier this year.

“Prime Minister Cameron was dumb, if I may use the word dumb before Congress,” Castro said during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pausing to laugh.