Fair to say the Conservative Friends of Israel trip this week might not be ideally timed. The latest conflict has not deterred a hardy half-dozen politicians, including former spy boss Baroness Neville Jones and Jack Lopresti, the army commando turned Tory MP, from jetting off to see what is going on for themselves. Also heading off on the junket are Edward Garnier, Andrew Percy, Guto Bebb and Bob Blackman. All expenses paid, natch.