And its not just those flocking to the department stores which have let a bit of Latin spirit go to their heads.

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"Now we've done that, and they need to go scratch their heads, " he said.

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There are policies all over Europe that protect people from over-indebtedness, that regulate credit cards and make it very difficult for people with bad credit to get things like this that allows them to go over their heads and become over-indebted.

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Education minister Lord Hill of Oareford said the bill was intended "to strengthen the autonomy of schools and colleges, to back heads and teachers as they go about their jobs, and to move away from top-down prescription".

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Even those unions who have signed up go so-called "heads of agreement" still have to sell any deal to their executives and members.

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