A small group of leftist protesters have burned a British flag outside the headquarters of Argentina’s oil company, saying YPF should stop using oil tankers that fly flags from the British commonwealth.

Argentina’s takeover of its formerly state-owned energy company from Spanish shareholders won easy approval from legislators.

An EU-Mercosur trade treaty feared by European farmers is on course to be derailed by radical protectionist moves by Argentina.

William Hague hit out at Argentina tonight after the government said it was seizing a Spanish-controlled energy firm.

In a bold move to gain control of Argentina’s energy reserves, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner pushed forward a bill to renationalise the country’s largest oil company despite fierce criticism from abroad and the risk of a major rift with Spain.