where above did I imply that I or any of my colleagues believe they have a "God given right" to a short cut?
Er....here?
you are being denied short cuts either without explaination or (if challenged) by lame and unpalpable excuses.
Controllers don’t have to give you an explanation or an excuse that you consider “palpable”.
I'm not commenting either way on whether the Spanish controllers are correct in their actions.
I'm not used to any mentality other than being expeditious. Where I work it's automatic that you will be on the most direct course possible, considering the workload and other circumstances, so there's no need for pilots to request directs.
I do not understand why we even have to ask for directs?
You don't.