To love, to cherish and to hoover

The so-called 'Housework Law' becomes reality later on this summer in Spain. Husbands will need to show that they are doing their share of the housework and looking after the children i.e. 50-50.

If not, they stand to lose both financially, and also get a raw deal in future child custody divorce disputes.

Cooking, cleaning up, washing, vacuum cleaning and ironing will not remain solely the wife's domain in Spain any more. This, no doubt, will put a little dent into the Spanish husband's macho image.

Apparently, statistics showed that 40 per cent of Spanish husbands did no housework whatsoever. Further statistics showed that husbands spent 44 minutes performing housework, and 50 minutes daily dealing with their children. Wives spent some six hours.

I note that, ironically, the law will not provide for the wives to do their share of dealing with leaking roofs, DIY, car repairs and looking for that mouse which just ran into the house. Inventors are jumping onto the bandwagon, and making money in the process.

The latest Spanish washing machine is appropriately called "Your Turn". It prevents the same person from using the appliance twice in succession, by adopting fingerprint recognition technology.

This ensures that the husband does his share of using the washing machine on alternate occasions. The inventor of the machine has also produced an iron with special weights attached to it.

Consequently, the husband is also developing wonderful muscles in the process, while ironing. Why go to the gym?

Had it not been for the Madrid bombings, the present Spanish Socialist government would not have been elected. The previous government was blamed for the catastrophe because of their involvement in Iraq.

A number of social reforms have taken place in Spain, since the new government took office. The most controversial ones have been the 'Housework Law' and the even more controversial law allowing gay marriages, with equal inheritance rights and the possibility of adopting children.

In the meantime, I'm off to put on my apron, use my Latex gloves for doing the washing, ordering a "Your Turn" washing machine and the special iron mentioned above!

The transformation of Spain's social life may turn out to be Osama Bin-Laden's most enduring legacy.