Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is drawing controversy in Britain, the first stop of his three-nation tour abroad. Britons heavily criticized Romney on Thursday after he questioned their country’s preparedness to host the Olympic Games. Romney was speaking to NBC’s Brian Williams.

Mitt Romney: “There are a few things that were disconcerting: the stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials. That, obviously, is not something which is encouraging, because in the Games, there are three parts that make Games successful. Number one, of course, are the athletes. That’s what overwhelmingly the Games are about. Number two are the volunteers, and they’ll have great volunteers here. But number three are the people of the country. Do they come together and celebrate the Olympic moment? And that’s something which we only find out once the Games actually begin.”

Other Romney gaffes in Britain have included publicly disclosing a meeting with the head of the secretive British intelligence agency, the MI6, and calling British Labour Party opposition leader Ed Miliband “Mr. Leader.” In response to Romney’s comments on the Olympics, British Prime Minister David Cameron said his country has adequately prepared for its host duties.

British Prime Minister David Cameron: “Well, look, we are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. I mean, of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere.”