Spanish 'Land Grab' of UK houses - Labour MEPs go direct to Spanish Prime Minister - 2010-01-20

Labour MEPs appealed directly to the Spanish Prime Minister on his visit to the European Parliament today to intervene on behalf of British people whose legally owned Spanish homes were taken from them.

West Midlands Labour MEP Michael Cashman has written a personal appeal to the Spanish Prime Minister. In his letter to Prime Minister Zapatero, he says "it is the Spanish Government alone that can bring an end to these abuses. The Spanish Presidency of the European Council has just started and it represents an opportunity to decisively tackle these long term problem once and for all, especially in the autonomous communities of Valencia, Andalusia and Murcia."

The letter continues "Several fact-finding missions have taken place, in which we have spoken to people on the ground and gathered evidence which has formed the basis of the Parliamentary Reports. Inaction can no longer be excused."

Mr. Cashman has campaigned for the British who have legal rights to property in Spain for many years as a member of the European Parliament's Petitions Committee, which has now handled 15,000 petitions on this issue. 

Leader of British Labour MEPs, Glenis Willmott, appealing directly to the Spanish Prime Minister in the Strasbourg chamber, said: - "I hope your Presidency will take this opportunity to resolve the issue of land-grab, which has caused such distress and heartache to tens of thousands of law-abiding property owners across Southern Spain.  We really do need action now." 

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