Although the two countries may seem worlds apart in terms of culture and climate, the political landscapes in Spain and Britain have been claimed to show remarkable similarities.

Website TypicallySpanish.com has compared the situation of the two centre-left governments heading for imminent elections with a lead over opponents, both having successfully taken the middle ground.

Gordon Brown’s Labour Party in Britain and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s PSOE have both boasted the achievement of economic stability for their countries, as well as talking tough on law and order, a combination which has primed both for poll success.

TypicallySpanish.com highlighted the isolation of the British and Spanish cases: "The two election campaigns in Britain and Spain will be interesting to watch this winter, and if the Socialists win in both countries they will become beacons across Europe."

Similarities between the desires of Spanish and British voters may go some way to explaining the popularity of travel and property investment in the Iberian peninsula with numerous UK citizens, who clearly feel at home in Spain.

The Spanish economy grew at an impressive 3.5 per cent rate in 2005, the last figures available from the OECD, matching the stability and expansion of the UK economy in recent years.

But it is not only economic stability and hassle-free transactions that make the two countries connect, but also character - an internet survey last week showed Spain to be the most welcoming European nation for UK travellers.