By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:42 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 9 August 2013 . Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy today stepped up the war of words with Britain, vowing to do everything to 'defend' his country's interests. In a fresh escalation of the diplomatic tensions between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar, Mr Rajoy promised to take 'all necessary legal steps' in the stand-off after holding a meeting with King Juan Carlos. It comes as British warships are being sent to Gibraltar by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to demonstrate the Royal Navy’s ‘formidable strength. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy promised to take 'all necessary legal steps' to protect his country's interests . Stand-off: The Spanish PM spoke out after holding talks with Spain's King Juan Carlos (right) at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca . Three ships including the frigate HMS . Westminster depart for Gibraltar on Monday even as the diplomatic row . with Madrid escalates over plans for draconian border controls. Mr Rajoy said he hoped to hold talks with Britain to end the dispute over shipping and increased border checks. But until then he would step up unilateral action to protect Spain from outside threats. He said: 'I . hope that this doesn't go any further, but it's clear that Spain has to . defend its national interest and that's what we're going to do.' Setting sail: HMS Westminster will leave Britain on Monday and is expected in Gibraltar from August 19 . Ship shape: A sailor polishes HMS Westminster's ship's bell ahead of her deployment on Cougar 13 . Supplies: Food and drink is prepared to keeping troops fighting fit while taking part in the exercise . Downing Street said it was aware of the remarks, which come just two days after David Cameron warned Mr Rajoy that increased checks and plans to charge £43 to enter and leave the Rock were ‘totally disproportionate and unacceptable’. It was seen as coded warning that . Britain is prepared to take Spain to court if it goes ahead with . measures which are seen to be in breach of European law. With diplomatic relations between . Britain and Spain over Gibraltar already in the deep freeze, the . Ministry of Defence announced details of the naval deployment to the region, called Cougar ’13. Mr . Hammond said the planned deployment of a total of 10 vessels to the . region as part of a rapid reaction force will underline the Navy’s . 'global reach'. The move comes just days after Gibraltar’s chief minister called for the British military to send forces into the area. Ten vessels including the aircraft . carrier Illustrious, two frigates and support ships are heading to the . waters off Gibraltar as part of an annual exercise. Gibraltar-bound: RFA Lyme Bay is heading to The Rock as as part of the deployment to the Mediterranean and Gulf region . Trucks and jeeps are loaded on to RFA Lyme Bay as part of the deployment of the Response Force Task Group . Loading up: Vehicles are driven on to RFA Lyme Bay for exercise Cougar . All aboard: A crane lifts equipment on to RFA Lyme Bay as part of the deployment to 'protect the free, safe and lawful use of the sea' News that British warships are heading to Gibraltar is likely to add to the tensions with Spain . But defence officials revealed that three of them – the frigate Westminster and two support vessels – will call in at the British sovereign base at Gibraltar for three days, beginning on August 19. In a show of force, the warships will practise ‘a range of operations’ including ‘deterring adversaries’. Mr Hammond said: ‘Since its creation under the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Response Force Task Group has demonstrated its formidable strength and readiness to respond to emerging threats worldwide through a number of operations and exercises. ‘This now routine and long-planned deployment will demonstrate once again its ability to operate as a rapid reaction force on behalf of the UK and, importantly, underlines the global reach and flexibility of the modern Royal Navy.’ The deployment follows demands from the . government of Gibraltar for the coalition to beef up its naval presence . off the Rock, and calls for gunboat diplomacy from Tory MPs. Commodore Paddy McAlpine, Commander UK . Task Group, said: 'Cougar 13 is a bespoke opportunity to enhance the . Royal Navy’s enduring core skill – the ability to operate and project . power as a task group at range. In so doing, it will also remind . interested domestic and international parties of the enduring utility, . employability and interoperability of the Royal Navy. 'During . Cougar 13 we will engage with our partner nations through a series of . exercises, reinforcing our commitment and demonstrating our contribution . to security in the Mediterranean and Gulf region.' Mr Cameron broke the news that the task . force was set to sail to Mr Rajoy in the tense phone call on Wednesday . which failed to resolve the diplomatic standoff. Ready for anything: Ahead of the deployment, the Vikings of the Armoured Support Group spent last week on the ranges at Lulworth in Dorset to hone their shooting skills . Tensions: The British Foreign Office fears the proposed Spanish border charges would penalise islanders who regularly commute to Spain for work . Downing Street claimed Mr Rajoy had . offered to ‘de-escalate’ the  crisis after Mr Cameron issued a coded . warning that Britain might take Spain to the European Court of Justice . over the ‘disproportionate’ border checks. But within minutes of the call, the Spanish government insisted they were doing nothing wrong. Spanish . foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo has threatened to impose tolls at . the border and ban Gibraltar-bound aircraft from Spanish airspace . because the government of Gibraltar sank concrete blocks off the Rock to . deter Spanish fishermen. On the move: HMS Montrose sailing from HMNB Devonport in preparation for Operation Cougar . On the move: RFA Fort Victoria (left) and HMS Montrose will leave the UK on Monday . Support RFA Diligence is among the vessels providing support to the military exercise Cougar 13 . Last night Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, a . member of the all-party Parliamentary group on Gibraltar, said: ‘It’s . wonderful news that the Royal Navy is on its way but I’d prefer it if . this deployment was in response to the behaviour of the Spanish. ‘If they’re going down there, they might as well stay while this situation is going on. ‘The . most powerful thing we could do is to announce that the Queen is going . to visit. That would send the strongest signal that Gibraltar is . British.’ Appeal: David Cameron asked the Spanish Prime Minister to scale back contentious border checks with the British territory, including blocking flights to Gibraltar . Access: The Spanish government raised the prospect of imposing a 50 euros (£43) charge on vehicles entering Gibraltar and closing Spanish airspace to flights heading for the Rock . On the ground, Spanish officials again forced motorists to wait for hours yesterday, imposing more border checks when they spotted UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall viewing their operations. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: ‘The Royal Navy’s annual Cougar deployment is long-planned and well-established. ‘Gibraltar is a strategic base for UK defence and as such Royal Navy ships visit its waters throughout the year as part of a range of regular and routine deployments.’ Warship: The Ministry of Defence stressed that the movement of the nine-vessel Response Force Task Group was 'long-planned'
Three ships including HMS Westminster to stop at Gibraltar, MoD reveals .
Follows call from Gibraltar chief minister for military show of strength .
Spain threatening to charge thousands of workers £43 to cross border .
Gibraltar authorities are building a reef to bar Spanish fishing boats .
David Cameron warned Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy Britain could sue .
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 04:42 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:25 EST, 9 August 2013 . Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy today stepped up the war of words with Britain, vowing to do everything to 'defend' his country's interests. In a fresh escalation of the diplomatic tensions between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar, Mr Rajoy promised to take 'all necessary legal steps' in the stand-off after holding a meeting with King Juan Carlos. It comes as British warships are being sent to Gibraltar by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to demonstrate the Royal Navy’s ‘formidable strength. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy promised to take 'all necessary legal steps' to protect his country's interests . Stand-off: The Spanish PM spoke out after holding talks with Spain's King Juan Carlos (right) at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca . Three ships including the frigate HMS . Westminster depart for Gibraltar on Monday even as the diplomatic row . with Madrid escalates over plans for draconian border controls. Mr Rajoy said he hoped to hold talks with Britain to end the dispute over shipping and increased border checks. But until then he would step up unilateral action to protect Spain from outside threats. He said: 'I . hope that this doesn't go any further, but it's clear that Spain has to . defend its national interest and that's what we're going to do.' Setting sail: HMS Westminster will leave Britain on Monday and is expected in Gibraltar from August 19 . Ship shape: A sailor polishes HMS Westminster's ship's bell ahead of her deployment on Cougar 13 . Supplies: Food and drink is prepared to keeping troops fighting fit while taking part in the exercise . Downing Street said it was aware of the remarks, which come just two days after David Cameron warned Mr Rajoy that increased checks and plans to charge £43 to enter and leave the Rock were ‘totally disproportionate and unacceptable’. It was seen as coded warning that . Britain is prepared to take Spain to court if it goes ahead with . measures which are seen to be in breach of European law. With diplomatic relations between . Britain and Spain over Gibraltar already in the deep freeze, the . Ministry of Defence announced details of the naval deployment to the region, called Cougar ’13. Mr . Hammond said the planned deployment of a total of 10 vessels to the . region as part of a rapid reaction force will underline the Navy’s . 'global reach'. The move comes just days after Gibraltar’s chief minister called for the British military to send forces into the area. Ten vessels including the aircraft . carrier Illustrious, two frigates and support ships are heading to the . waters off Gibraltar as part of an annual exercise. Gibraltar-bound: RFA Lyme Bay is heading to The Rock as as part of the deployment to the Mediterranean and Gulf region . Trucks and jeeps are loaded on to RFA Lyme Bay as part of the deployment of the Response Force Task Group . Loading up: Vehicles are driven on to RFA Lyme Bay for exercise Cougar . All aboard: A crane lifts equipment on to RFA Lyme Bay as part of the deployment to 'protect the free, safe and lawful use of the sea' News that British warships are heading to Gibraltar is likely to add to the tensions with Spain . But defence officials revealed that three of them – the frigate Westminster and two support vessels – will call in at the British sovereign base at Gibraltar for three days, beginning on August 19. In a show of force, the warships will practise ‘a range of operations’ including ‘deterring adversaries’. Mr Hammond said: ‘Since its creation under the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Response Force Task Group has demonstrated its formidable strength and readiness to respond to emerging threats worldwide through a number of operations and exercises. ‘This now routine and long-planned deployment will demonstrate once again its ability to operate as a rapid reaction force on behalf of the UK and, importantly, underlines the global reach and flexibility of the modern Royal Navy.’ The deployment follows demands from the . government of Gibraltar for the coalition to beef up its naval presence . off the Rock, and calls for gunboat diplomacy from Tory MPs. Commodore Paddy McAlpine, Commander UK . Task Group, said: 'Cougar 13 is a bespoke opportunity to enhance the . Royal Navy’s enduring core skill – the ability to operate and project . power as a task group at range. In so doing, it will also remind . interested domestic and international parties of the enduring utility, . employability and interoperability of the Royal Navy. 'During . Cougar 13 we will engage with our partner nations through a series of . exercises, reinforcing our commitment and demonstrating our contribution . to security in the Mediterranean and Gulf region.' Mr Cameron broke the news that the task . force was set to sail to Mr Rajoy in the tense phone call on Wednesday . which failed to resolve the diplomatic standoff. Ready for anything: Ahead of the deployment, the Vikings of the Armoured Support Group spent last week on the ranges at Lulworth in Dorset to hone their shooting skills . Tensions: The British Foreign Office fears the proposed Spanish border charges would penalise islanders who regularly commute to Spain for work . Downing Street claimed Mr Rajoy had . offered to ‘de-escalate’ the  crisis after Mr Cameron issued a coded . warning that Britain might take Spain to the European Court of Justice . over the ‘disproportionate’ border checks. But within minutes of the call, the Spanish government insisted they were doing nothing wrong. Spanish . foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo has threatened to impose tolls at . the border and ban Gibraltar-bound aircraft from Spanish airspace . because the government of Gibraltar sank concrete blocks off the Rock to . deter Spanish fishermen. On the move: HMS Montrose sailing from HMNB Devonport in preparation for Operation Cougar . On the move: RFA Fort Victoria (left) and HMS Montrose will leave the UK on Monday . Support RFA Diligence is among the vessels providing support to the military exercise Cougar 13 . Last night Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, a . member of the all-party Parliamentary group on Gibraltar, said: ‘It’s . wonderful news that the Royal Navy is on its way but I’d prefer it if . this deployment was in response to the behaviour of the Spanish. ‘If they’re going down there, they might as well stay while this situation is going on. ‘The . most powerful thing we could do is to announce that the Queen is going . to visit. That would send the strongest signal that Gibraltar is . British.’ Appeal: David Cameron asked the Spanish Prime Minister to scale back contentious border checks with the British territory, including blocking flights to Gibraltar . Access: The Spanish government raised the prospect of imposing a 50 euros (£43) charge on vehicles entering Gibraltar and closing Spanish airspace to flights heading for the Rock . On the ground, Spanish officials again forced motorists to wait for hours yesterday, imposing more border checks when they spotted UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall viewing their operations. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: ‘The Royal Navy’s annual Cougar deployment is long-planned and well-established. ‘Gibraltar is a strategic base for UK defence and as such Royal Navy ships visit its waters throughout the year as part of a range of regular and routine deployments.’ Warship: The Ministry of Defence stressed that the movement of the nine-vessel Response Force Task Group was 'long-planned'
between Britain and Spain over Gibraltar, Mr Minister Mariano Rajoy promised to take 'all interests . Stand-off: The Spanish PM spoke out Mallorca . Three ships including the frigate HMS over plans for draconian border controls. Mr come just two days after David Cameron warned Mr Rajoy that increased checks and plans to charge comes just days after Gibraltar’s chief minister will call in at the British sovereign base at In a show of force, the warships will practise ‘a