It might seem far-fetched that one could face jail for eating steak frites. But one could have said the same about not eating at least a scotch egg with your pint.
The membership of a new Government commission represents a significant evolution in the story of these issues in Britain – and within the Conservatives.
Countries need a balance of self-criticism and self-confidence. People are often called on to act for a greater good. But if Britain is shameful, why bother?
When Lord Kerr whistled, voters turned the Nelsonian equivalent of a deaf ear. When they whistled, he was dragged helplessly along by the command of a democratic vote.
Had he been on the Left, he would have been regarded as one of our towering public intellectuals. But he committed the ultimate sin: he was a Thatcherite.