Mirror columnist Brian Reade has today claimed that the current dispute between Gibraltar and Spain is doing nothing but boost Prime Minister David Cameron’s popularity ahead of next year’s general election. Within his column, Mr. Reade today insisted that he believes Gibraltar should be given back to Spain.

He adds, ‘asking why we want to keep a haven for tax exiles, Tory postal voters, winter fuel payment claimants and apes which is ­geographically part of Spain and of no strategic military use to us any more.’