Reader Rudy feels that Britain isn’t necessarily as insane as I occasionally suggest. And he’s surely right. But here’s an article which possibly supports my contention.

Back to Spain . . . Here’s my stab at a translation of the letter to El Pais I quoted yesterday. I found this to be quite tough so will happily accept corrections from a Spanish reader. Or, indeed, anyone with better Spanish than me. Anyway, the drift is pretty clear:- For years we have been one of the de facto and de jure members of the economic, political and social warp of Europe. Our entry into the eurozone was deserved; we were at the head of the developed countries; and our economy responded to a solvency to which we were unaccustomed. Rather more recently, we slowly brought ourselves into line with that Europe which endures greater fiscal pressure, rules unrelated to morality and limitations on compromise. However, we haven’t copied work patterns which allow the conciliation of family stresses and the equalization of opportunity which improve one’s quality of life; we haven’t emulated the sense of responsibility which increases production and safeguards the economy; and we haven’t even copied the promotion of education founded on hard work as a fundamental value. So, the piecemeal copying of models which in the countries of their origin respond to a sensible and intelligent rationale represents a fatally cunning trap which condemns the Spanish people to an iniquitous democratic serfdom.

Finally . . . Impressive to read that the speed cops down south now have the technology to identify, pursue, stop and then impose humongous on-the-spot fines on all those foreign motorists who flash past the cameras sited a metre or so after the reduced speed limit sign. Desperate times, desperate measures. But why should they escape when I can’t? And who said things aren’t efficient here?