Spain is to ban all public references to the Franco regime under a controversial Bill that seeks to make amends to the victims of the Spanish Civil War and ensuing 36-year dictatorship.

All statues, street names and symbols associated with the dictator and his supporters will be removed as part of the Law of Historic Memory, which was presented to the Madrid parliament this week.

Even plaques and stained glass windows showing the Falange symbol of the yoke and arrows or the eagle associated with Franco's rule will have to be replaced.

At one time statues glorifying the Generalissimo adorned almost every town square but most have been taken down in recent years.