Sweet Spanish Ayes

In 1994 (and yes, I can add up), I found myself armed with three of the first ever A* grades at GCSEs.

One in English, one in English Literature, and one in French.

I was one point off it in Spanish, and comparable, although it was not calculated in quite the same way, in History.

I tossed a coin. Seriously. You do that kind of thing when you are 16, don't you?

English, French and History it was, then. Rather than English, French and Spanish. I have no regrets.

Still, I hear that far more pupils in British schools are now studying Spanish.

I wish them well in reading Lorca and Cervantes in the original.

After all, the British tourism to Spain is largely to Catalan-speaking areas.

And darling, this kind of thing is never, but never, about Trade.