All's not what it seems

We love your money!

BBC News asks: Why has Spain fallen out of love with the European Union?

In order to address this question, the BBC's very own Emma Jane Kirby donned sunhat and bikini, and dutifully trudged off to Andalusia. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

It appears that when an impoverished Spain joined the EU in the mid-1980s, the EU was seen as a rich benefactor. A supplier of wealth that the Spanish hadn't earned, but were nonetheless happy to accept.

Since the late 2000s, of course, there has been a significant global financial downturn. Even the EU, historically profligate with taxpayers' money, is tightening its belt.

Those people that Emma interviewed, before she went for a pre-lunch swim, were angry with Angela Merkel for having the temerity to expect Germany not to have to foot the bill for their largesse. Perhaps they would be better directing their ire at those in their own country who made hay while the sun shone, and squandered the funds that they were given building a nice herd of white elephants?