I’ve just got back from a few days in Rome. We had a fantastic time but it wasn’t without a couple of examples of Italian officials showing the worst of their bureaucracy and buses breaking down. But that only happens abroad doesn’t it?

Not a bit of it. After ten years of this Government losing control of immigration policy and process, Stansted had a 3/4 hour queue for passport control (probably longer for those outside the EU). This was after midnight so hardly peak time.

The drive back along the M11 and M25 had miles of coned lanes with speed limits reduced and no visible sign of any work having taken place during daylight hours. Now we don’t even have a ‘Cones Hotline’ to rant at (pointless at the time, definitely pointless now since you can’t use a mobile whilst driving) although Big Brother watches us via digital speed cameras.

At least in Rome, an earthquake, a Pope and two thousand years of history caused the Colosseum to get to the state that it is in. Though it is ragged around the edges, it is still very impressive – I’m still talking about the Colosseum. We need a change of Government and real reform before the final shine is taken off – I’m not talking about the Colosseum any more.