Was Guido the only one who felt dismayed watching Chinese heavies pushing people around in Downing Street itself? Gordon just stood there pathetically while Chinese security thugs with fingers on radio-earpieces directed matters. The British people were outside the gates screaming their disapproval. Tessa Jowell gave a stomach turning semi-justification. It seems to Guido entirely unnecessary for politicans to get involved in this shaming spectacle when colleagues of these Chinese security agents are killing freedom loving Tibetans. It could and should have been left to the sportsmen and woman to conduct any ceremony.

The line from Gordon that he didn’t touch the torch itself is characteristically cowardly. He should have had nothing to do with the event in the current circumstances. It should not have been accorded full political honours.