Daveybloke Drops In

Daveybloke, the Cuddly Conservative, is doing the statesman thing again. This time he has flown out to beleaguered little Georgia in what the Press Association kindly describes as a "show of support". It will pile up the air miles, of course; but one cannot be green all the time, and the prospect of a photo-opportunity with Mikhail Saakashvili certainly outweighs the petty priorities of a glacier or two. Apart from the inevitable "tough new visa restrictions" (the Daily Maul solution to virtually any crisis, national or international), Daveybloke has called for Russia to be expelled from the G8 and for Georgia's NATO membership to be sped up in "a bid to deter further attacks". If there is one thing guaranteed to calm the situation down, it's the prospect of yet more American missiles on Russia's doorstep. Daveybloke has yet to advocate NATO membership for Lebanon; but it is doubtless only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, the Government has pledged the cost of a CBE towards "medical and surgical aid and restoring the water supply in Tshinvali, South Ossetia's main town"; and we all know how seriously the Government takes its pledges, especially where the welfare of foreigners is concerned.