In my 10 years as an MEP, one issue has cropped up time and again from constituents: So-called Spanish land grabs. Con-stituents who buy property in Spain in good faith find it confiscated and demolished – sometimes at their own expense – in a scandalous move that is permitted under Spanish law.

Thankfully in Strasbourg last week, the European Parliament decided that enough was enough for the thousands of British expatriates who have suffered from this unjust law.

We adopted a report that tells Spain to rethink the law or we will encourage the European Commission to use budgetary powers to withhold around £30billion of EU aid to Spain.

It cannot be right that people who are victim to a scandal should have no redress under Spanish law And I sincerely hope our actions will bring a positive conclusion to those who have been affected.

The Rt Hon Sir Robert Atkins MEP.