Spain's Mariano Rajoy facing backlash for Euro 2012 banquet Mariano Rajoy has been sharply criticised after it emerged that he and close political aides had enjoyed a sumptuous meal on an official plane returning from Poland to watch Spain's opening match in Euro 2012 in June, just hours after his nation sought a 100-billion euro bail out for its stricken banking sector. Revelations that Mr Rajoy and five of his inner circle had dined on fillet mignon steak and turbot washed down with seven bottles of wine and ten beers in a 1,000 euro meal at the taxpayers expense have jarred with a nation in the grip of 25 per cent unemployment. Pictures of the conservative leader enjoying a fat cigar as he strolled down New York's Sixth Avenue on Wednesday, after a hard day a the United Nations general assembly, were splashed across front pages yesterday, leading some commentators to draw comparison with Marie-Antoinette. It also emerged that the military plane used to fly the government ministers to meetings also had routine instructions to stock up on alcohol when the prime minister was expected on board as well as servings of Spain's famous Jamon Iberico de Bellota - at 180 euros a kilo - according to Interviu magazine, which published the revelations. The image of the cigar-totting prime minister and details of his lavish catering arrangements were in stark contrast to photos of police baton-charging and firing rubber-bullets at protestors as they demonstrated against new austerity cuts in the capital on Tuesday evening. Rajoy's popularity has deteriorated rapidly since his party won a landslide victory in parliamentary elections last November and his apparent detachment to the plight of everyday Spaniards has enflamed an already volatile national mood. Demonstrations are occurring more and more often in cities across Spain, increasingly marked with violent clashes between riot police and protestors.