Sun shines on UK-Spain relations

After all the pressures and anxieties revolving around the timing of his departure as Labour leader, what better than a trip to Spain?

Interesting article, but some thoughts for you.

Millions of Britons still take holidays in Spain each year, but European economic reforms and a spate of takeovers by Spanish companies have contributed to the convergence of the two economies on many other levels.

These include Spanish bank Santander absorbing Abbey National, or telecoms giant Telefonica buying up the UK's mobile phone group O2, to name a couple.

This highlights what I've said previously about our borders and sense of identity are being eroded. More names that we associate as being British are in fact foreign owned, and this number is increasing.

I do understand, to a degree, that we need to remove as many barriers between cultures, colour and race, but at the expense of your countries identity, and therefore your own self?

It's normal to be proud to say you are 'British', or indeed Irish, Scottish, Welsh and yes, even French I would imagine.

Will we sit comfortably with the ultimate aim that you will be European?

Identity is being dissolved into continental names, major conglomerates of countries who individually have no power, but as a collective whole, can work together for the benefit of its member states.

A noble idea, but there exist too many conflicts and prejudice and corruption within these areas being absorbed into the whole, that they are intoducing battles to be fought internally.

As well as standing up to the constant onslaught from the American and Asian contingents, this is a problem that the EU will have to remove before anybody will place their faith in it.

But rather than economics, another issue quickly moved to centre-stage.

Before Tony Blair touched down, the Spanish media were focusing on the possible contributions the British government could be making to the peace process in the Basque region.

Mr Zapatero said there was a lot of relevant information in the peace process in Northern Ireland that is useful to his own government's bid to end the conflict in the Basque region.

Laughable! They are going to use the British Governments handling of the Northern Ireland Peace Process as a yardstick to ensure peace between the Basque movement and the Spanish Government? Oh dear, there's ANOTHER disaster just waiting to happen! If any Spanish people are reading this, get in touch with your government now and scream no!

Spain, meanwhile, is facing its illegal immigration problem in the Canary Islands, where about 25,000 Africans have arrived by boat this year. It wants British backing in a push for more assistance from the European Union.

See, it's happening everywhere! Both legally and illegaly. But if you're going to the Canary Islands for your holidays, please feel free to share your experiences with the rest of us who are no longer considering them as a holiday destination.