Here in Ireland the biggest story on the news shows is Foot and Mouth. The British government seems to have a better grip on things this time – unlike the last time when it was horrific.

No doubt it will come to an end, hopefully soon. Then we will need to re-assure the public, particularly the foreign, meat-export buying public, that British meat is safe to eat.

What better way to do that than to be pictured eating it, nothing so crass as feeding it to your daughter, just be pictured taking a smiling, hearty bite out of a British beef burger. That will re-assure the public.

Hilary Benn, the farming minister, should do it as soon as practicable, shouldn’t he?