Rubalcaba is the PSOE candidate. He was the Minister of the Interior responsible for taking away residence for Europeans living in Spain, forcing us to carry our passports and a silly blue A4 document at all times. Oh - you don't have to carry them always, but there comes a time when you need them - and there they are, in your desk at home.
In 1995, when Felipe gave European residents (we were still residents then) the vote in local elections, it was Rubalcaba, then Ministro de la Presidencia, who pulled the plug. We could vote in European elections but not local ones (the fear was, in those days, that the foreigners would bother to vote... and probably for the PP).
The PSOE is the party that has made 'owning a home in Spain' a dirty expression elsewhere in Europe.
The PP might not like foreigners much... but at least they like our money.

I have always found it a shame that the liberals cannot put a decent national party together that could be on par with local politicians. I have always found them locally to really care for their town and try to help in any way possible. Strangely, again locally I prefer to deal with the tories and labour I would not give a damn for, they were the only party that used bully boy tactics, even using the local police force to try to ensure I did as I was told which came as rather a shock. All because they wanted a few acres of land "for the people."
We were tipped off for what they really wanted it for and low and behold when they finally got it they sold half to the golf course and the other half to a builder. Out of interest it was land that was bequeathed locally to the people in perpetuity and then designated green belt.
And they reckon Spain is corrupt, I would love to know how much went into the back pocket of dearest Blunkett, the leader of the council I had to deal with.

Graham

Blunkett, Blunkett, so dumb he did it twice.....

(to the tune of 'New York'.)

The only MP I can think of that attained high office, acted in what was seen as a corrupt fashion, got given high office a second time, and did the same damn type of thing again.....

The saddest thing about both Labour MPs and Union leaders is the way that they are usually the very first ones to betray those who have given them their trust.
You may well expect to get shafted by the Tories, but at least you see them coming.
With Labour MPs and Union leaders around you daren't even bend down to pick up the soap.

Do you mean arriving in Volvos to show solidarity with British Leyland workers ?

Is the PP in the UK then, I have lost the thread now

The difference is that you may get shagged by Labour. You WILL get shagged by the tories, because at the end of the day, you aren't in their gang.

That's a fair analysis, but you've missed out my lot, the Liberals.

We're fair people, we believe in freedom, we don't care who we shag as long as it's legal.

You'll get buggered with that lot

On the day that the liberals are as electable as the tories and Labour, they will become as corrupted as the other two.

Charles Kennedy. The greatest prime minister we never had. If he had been in when the bloody yanks came calling re Iraq, he might have been the one to kep us out.

after he had had a stiff drink first

I loved that ginger nut from the Highlands. He stood up against all the injustices in the world, but then he got on the piss. His constituency up in that cold country is full of distilleries producing medicine to cure all ills.

A decent single malt will melt away all your troubles away in an instant. Too many of them and you'll wind up with your head in the soup.

Mandelson

Like I say, There's a short list of politicians I like, (I'm not talking trust here, ok) and Chucky boy is well up on it.

What, banana boy? (A yellow skinned, greasy, bent fruit.)