The Spanish government – which is socialist – says it won’t be emulating the British government – which is also socialist – in taking shares in the country’s banks. These, it continues to stress, are more solid than those elsewhere. However, the Spanish government will set up the mechanism for doing this, just in case it ever needs to change its assessment.

Close to home, the [even more socialist] Galician Nationalist Block has seized the moment to propose discussion of the future of the region’s major savings banks – Caixa Galicia and Caixanova. This is not, some say, a prelude to their take over but more likely to their fusion. It’s also said the development is merely a reflection of the eternal struggle for politico-economic power between the regional Xunta, on the one hand, and the provincial and municipal authorities, on the other. But, whatever it is, the timing is perfect. Every bank in the world is under a microscope right now and no one’s going to gainsay discussion of any bank-related matter. However ignorant and self-interested the interlocutors are.

One thing that confuses me is that – if the core problem is that the banks have money but won’t lend it to each other – how can giving them more of the stuff be the solution? Anyway, someone else with questions – such as If the Spanish banks are so solid, why does the government need to set up a fund and guarantee deposits? – is Luis Ventoso of the Voz de Galicia. If there’s no link here, you can read him in the Vidas Ejemplares column of today’s Voz on - www.lavozdegalicia.es

These, of course, are times for massive dollops of cant from politicians of all stripes. Gordon Brown, through the Private Finance Initiative, keeps zillions of pounds of liabilities off the national balance sheet but lectures bankers on probity. And EU bureaucrats talk of transparency and honesty. If it wasn’t so serious, it’d be hilarious.

The Spanish Minister for the economy now admits there’s the possibility of a recession here next year. In this, he is – surprisingly – more pessimistic than The Economist, which predicts we will scrape by without one. But, whoever's right, I wonder whether anyone will notice the difference.

Coming back down to earth – There’s something of a controversy in Santiago University, where a course for architects has ended with Un espectaculo con toples. Which you may have to read twice, to grasp the Spanglish. Some are asking what the difference is between such a show and a striptease. Should they get an answer, I will let you have it.

Finally, should you still have a job and be doing business next year, you’ll want to know that both Barcelona and Madrid rank in the European top 10 for this. With the former emerging as the city with the best quality of life. Though you might want to steer clear of any feminists there who are in desperate need of a public convenience.