The Spanish government is still locked in negations with representatives of both business and labour in pursuit of a new version of what I think was called a Social Contract by the Callaghan government in the UK back in the 70s. The funny thing is that the business group is headed by a very discredited chap. Even funnier is the fact that no one seems to have thought it right that he resigns. Least of all him.

Talking of mendacity . . . Here’s Christopher Booker on the Pachaurigate developments that are following hard on the heels of the Climategate and Glaciergate scandals. Pretty soon no one on earth will believe in Anthropogenic Global Warming. Which will be a great shame if it actually exists.

And talking of rubbish claims . . . I could scarcely believe my ears to hear a couple of products being advertised on British TV with the strapline “Get back to nature with the new Naturals range”. You might choke too, when you know that the products are detergents.

As you know, there’s no problem so bad that the government – central or regional – can’t make it worse. Following a call for the mayors of the three Galician cities with a small international airport to bury the hatchet and seek a consensus, it’s been announced there’ll be a new committee to harmonise efforts. God help Galicia’s air travellers. Even more of whom will surely now be heading south to Oporto's real international facility.

One of the by-products of reading about the attempts to force a merger of Galicia’s two Caixas (savings banks) is my belated understanding of why cultural events take place largely in Vigo and La Coruña. Simple really. The banks are the major sponsors of socio-cultural activities and this is where they have their respective head offices. So, the question arises – What will happen to Vigo’s cultural life if the HQ of the merged operation is in La Coruña? No womder the mayor is angy.

Here’s an interesting development around the issue of property abuse, for which the south of Spain is rightly (in)famous. I wonder if it will move the central government to show the slightest interest in responding to criticisms and demands from Brussels. I imagine not. It has much larger fish to fry. And for the benefit of people who have the vote. Not whingeing Brits.

Finally . . . Quote of the Week:

The internet is turning huge numbers of people into twitching Attention Deficit Disorder-afflicted reacto-trons. Journalist Stephanie Gutmann

Can’t say I’ve noticed.