Former Extremadura president Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra put the cat among the pigeons yesterday when he pointed out that the man chosen to be the PSOE's parliamentary spokesman is not a card-carrying member of the socialist party.

Later, acting-president Zapatero appeared to explain that acting-Defence and former Interior minister, José Antonio Alonso (archive photo, left), is a judge, and as such, is not permitted to belong to any political party.

Mr Alonso will replace Diego López Garrido, who, it is rumoured, will be offered the post of secretary of state for the EU.

It is also rumoured that Mr Zapatero only managed to persuade his recalcitrant boyhood friend to accept the post after a lengthy meeting at the Moncloa Palace yesterday during which he was told that Mr Alonso "did not really see himself" in the proposed role, which he eventually accepted.