Free Catalonia!

OMG to Catalonia! (Geddit?; I’m quite proud of that. Pathetic, I know). A congenial centre-right and far left alliance in Catalonia should see Spain cease to exist as an entity within the next four years. Separatists now control the majority of seats in the Catalan parliament and public sentiment is broadly behind secession from the Castillians. With any luck the separatist sentiment will spread north of the border to Perpignan, to give the French a fright. Of course, it is not blood and thunder nationalism which has driven this wish to leave Spain behind, but economic self-interest. This is slightly disappointing for me, who rather wished that it had been occasioned by spite. But it is perhaps why Scotland will not vote to separate when Alex holds his referendum, despite his cunning ploy to allow five year olds and perhaps foetuses to vote. Nationalistic pride is all very well, but it is taken up by the majority only when they can see a few quid in it for themselves.