Following up from my piece on this blog a few days ago, I've an article in today's Observer  about Berlusconi which makes the point that European People's Party, Cameron is so condemned for leaving, supports the old goat to the hilt. (I am not defending Cameron's decision to go off with the veterans of the Latvian SS, you understand, merely pointing out that supposedly moderate and respectable Europeans behave just as badly.) In my blog, I criticised dumb Tories who cheered on Berlusconi in the mistaken belief that he was an Italian Thatcher.

And who are these dunderheads? Right on cue, up pops David Blackburn in the Spectator to lament that

   "If Berlusconi falls, it remains to be seen if a figure can emerge to replace his political and financial gravitas."