The credit agency Standard & Poors has forecast Spain’s growth in 2008 at 2.7%, high enough but actually the lowest for 12 years. More worryingly, it suggests Spain’s economy is more at risk than any others. Oh, dear. No wonder consumer confidence is reported to have gone through the floor. The noise of belt-tightening is even higher than that of the ubiquitous TV sets and barking dogs.

El Pais yesterday sounded off on the subject of the corruption that surrounds construction here . . . “Urban corruption demands an outstanding place in the pre-election political discourse, reflecting the serious distortions it produces in local and regional governments and because of its evil economic impact in the form of price rises in both land and property, and for the destruction it causes in areas of high ecological value.” Yes, well it may demand such a high profile but I, for one, will be betting it doesn’t get it. Allegedly, all the political parties rely so much on this for additional funding, none of them is going to rock the boat or upset this particular applecart. Especially as the apples are Golden Delicious.

Talking of local politics, the Galician Socialist and Nationalist parties are naturally at constant loggerheads with the local PP party over what to put in the draft of our new Constitution to be negotiated with Madrid. The latest spat is over a suggestion – from guess which side – that this document specifically precludes the Galician government from undertaking the sort of popular consultation on independence currently being pursued by the President of the Basque region. And/or from alluding to ‘sovereignty’. You’d think the Spanish government had enough problems with this issue in respect of Gibraltar, without wanting it brought up in the context of its regions. But this is modern Spain and the game of constitutional leapfrog must continue apace. Towards an unknown destination.

The central government has given more details about its plans to further curb road deaths. Excessive speeding and drink driving will become criminal offences, if parliament approves the Bill. The relevant minister has said this will bring Spain into line with the rest of Europe. Not before time. Now for those bloody [non]silencers on scooters!

Something is going wrong with foreign investment in Galicia. And, this time, this really does mean ‘foreign’, not just from other Spanish communities. Annual investment has fallen progressively from 302 million euros in 2004 to possibly only 20 or 30 million this year. Major companies who’ve allegedly got fed up of waiting for land and/or approvals in Vigo include Ikea and France’s department store, Fnac. One may be forgiven for wondering whether the Xunta is serious about this. Meanwhile, Ikea has gone to Oporto.