When Britain is having a hard time it is best to keep a low profile in our offices to escape the usual good humoured banter from our Spanish colleagues.
Infact, over the last week I have seldom left the sanctury of a our news-room to escape the usual ridicule over Brexit.
Unfortunately, there is only one main exit so I try and make a dash but I was caught by a senior journalist on our stablemate Ultima Hora; he just looked at me and said: “What are you doing, are you mad...?” “I´m just going home,” I said with a grin.
I knew he was talking about Brexit so I replied with as much conviction as I could muster... “well this sort of thing happens in all countries, look at the U.S., it took them months to elect George Bush, and France and Italy all have rocky governments.”
But, he stopped me in my great escape for the door when he said, “but you are Great Britain, you have the mother of all parliaments and you are so respected for your democracy and rule of law.”
Initially, I was rather baffled...this was probably the nicest thing he had ever said about my country.
So, I thought I might as well stay around for this conversation. He then went on to say that he admired the democratic system in Britain and how it was a beacon for the world.
I just waited for the word Gibraltar to be mentioned, but no. He was being very serious. But he added: “do you know something?, Britain has become the laughing stock of the world and it is very sad...”