How far we have drifted from the idea that an Englishman's home is his castle. The mighty jurist Sir Edward Coke, who did as much as anyone to codify our understanding of the common law, put it like this as long ago as 1628: “For a man's house is his castle, et domus sua cuique est tutissimum refugium [and each man's home is his safest refuge].” In 1763, Pitt the Elder expressed it more rousingly: “The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail – its roof may shake – the wind may blow through it – the storm may enter – the rain may enter – but the King of England cannot enter!” Now more than 900 categories of state official are empowered to enter our homes without permission.

This is the most significant test for our new PM, his Falklands moment. Mauritius has made a hostile claim on our territory. Does he resettle the Chagos Islands with their original inhabitants and hold what we have? Or does he carry on with the disastrous Starmer approach?

Can you imagine how the signatories of this letter are feeling in the light of the latest revelations? Not just the Walter Mitty sporting feats. Not just the intellectual mediocrity. But the invented hate crimes. “I thought you’d just believe me.” What a bunch of ninnies.

In other countries, governments give tax breaks to private schools. They love it when parents choose not to ask the state to bear the full cost of their children's education, and try to be helpful. In Britain, uniquely, economics and education are subordinated to spite.