Spanish data; & Some quotes.

Some Spanish Data

Workers in the Spanish service sector saw their salaries fall by 0.5% last year. The poor artists and estate agents, however, saw them sink by 4.7%, after 4.5% the previous year.

Spain beat France and Italy to the top of the EU tourism and business travel rankings last year. As for Spaniards, a whopping 92% plumped for stay-cations, against an EU average of 74% Those who left for stranger shores went, in the main, to France, Portugal and Italy. I wonder if the stats include those who nip across the border for one reason or another. Or the French who visit the big brothels in Cataluña.

Spanish broadband and wifi prices remain among the highest in Europe. Which probably explains why there are 3 Telefónica executives among the 5 most highly paid in Spain.

June in Spain saw a zero-percent annual inflation rate, despite what's said to be a deflationary threat hanging over the country.

Although some concessions have been made to the vast majority of citizens who oppose it, Europe's most restrictive abortion law will shortly be put on Spain's statute book. Doubtless to be repealed next time the opposition party returns to power.

After the 5th consecutive year of falls, Spain's birth rate has now dropped to 1.26 per 'average woman'. For foreign women living here, it's 1.5, against 1.21 for Spanish women. This, of course, raises concerns about an ageing population and about a shortage of (tax paying) workers in the next generation, when the number of (state) pensioners soars. But that's way beyond the next election, so no one is doing anything about it. Apart from preventing abortions.

Next year will see some small income tax reductions but no cuts in the value added rates which have risen significantly in the last few years. 2016 will see an election but this is probably a coincidence.

Nearly half of all Spaniards aged 25-29 still live at home.

Royal corruption: "A key suspect in a corruption case around the business dealings of the brother-in-law of Spain's King Felipe claimed on Monday the royal palace was intricately involved in the day-to-day activities of the business".

Finally . . . A few quotations:

Anon: Since you bought the waterbed, we’ve slowly drifted apart.

Elton John: I'm sure if Jesus was here now he'd be tolerant. He was such a good Christian, a really nice guy.

AA Gill: One of the surprising symptoms of getting to be 60 is that I now can’t tell how old anyone under the age of 40 is; you all look 16.