Andalucian MP’s get 100% free travel (but nobody knew this)

Cadena Ser Radio has just made the surprise discovery that Andalucian MP’s (senators and deputies) get 100% free national travel. According to Cadena Ser, this “wasn’t common knowledge”. Doesn’t matter whether they travel by plane, train or boat, the state picks up the bill no questions asked, and no need to identify the reason for the trip. Don’t worry the fat cats always booking business class – Iberia offers an automatic free upgrade to business Continue reading Andalucian MP’s get 100% free travel (but nobody knew this)

Spain stifles innovation – this new content law is useless.

The government has proposed a new Intellectual Property law that has everyone excited, because it contains what is called a “Google” tax. Note the proposed bit – it hasn’t been voted on yet. We don’t even, it seems, have the full draft of the law, it hasn’t been officially released. But people are excited. Now, the idea is that websites which use content from other people must pay a “fair usage fee”. In theory, it Continue reading Spain stifles innovation – this new content law is useless.

Spanish government considering switching nation to UK time

A government committee has been setup to investigate the benefits of switching Spanish clocks over the UK (GMT) time. Currently Spain is an hour ahead of the UK (GMT+1). An Orwellian sounding committee called Racionalización de Horarios, la Conciliación de la Vida Personal, Familiar y Laboral y la Corresponsabilidad del Congreso has been setup by request of Congress to see if putting the clocks back an hour would benefit Spains economy, after a subcommittee said Continue reading Spanish government considering switching nation to UK time

Someone’s castrated the Congressional lions!

On the left, one of the lions that sits in front of the Spanish Congress in Madrid. On the right, its partner. Spot the difference? Well, nobody has for the last 140 years, until the Spanish History Channel Canal Historico spotted the difference whilst filming a programme about the history of the building. One of the males…. appears to have been castrated. (Trying to think of a good joke about Congress and Brussels here). Well, Continue reading Someone’s castrated the Congressional lions!

ZP bows out amongst jeers

ZP has presided over his last session of Congress as Prime Minister of Spain. He finished his last session after 8 years as PM with a rather rambling speech saying he hoped that the next government would continue with his legacy and that his financial reforms would bring Spain back to prosperity. Meanwhile, opponent Mariano Rajoy showed no mercy, accusing ZP of leaving a poisoned legacy behind him, and accusing him of leading Spain to Continue reading ZP bows out amongst jeers