Over the week, the three-day NATO summit in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania and once a part of the Soviet empire, was attended by Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese. In these circumstances, most overseas investors are giving Britain a wide berth.” Labour is well ahead at the polls but seemingly devoid of strategies to capture the imagination and support of voters. Neither the Scots, the Irish or the Welsh supported Brexit, so Britain is deeply divided as well as struggling to contain inflation. “Worse,” I said, “the English are facing these problems because they are still floundering in the mess created by Brexit, with many people still supporting the policies spun to them by Johnson. My friend, who is particularly well-informed on international affairs, was keen to know if the Tories’ troubles are as serious as has been reported in the Australian media. The Tory government is twitchy, facing three by-elections this week and almost certain to lose at least one – the seat formerly held by ex-prime minister Boris Johnson some pundits predict that all three seats could be lost. Meanwhile, the sombre mood in Westminster has sullied the usual atmosphere of summer conviviality. Meeting a friend from Melbourne in the bar, we were shocked to have to pay £10 for soft drinks. A double room with breakfast at the Royal Over-Seas League, which cost £180 in March, had risen to over £300 last week. This year, the big “downer” in London was the surge in prices combined with a decline in service, following the post-Brexit departure of so many East Europeans from key jobs. It is what they like to call the summer season in London when visitors pour in from across the world – often in inclement weather – paying premium prices for ticket events ranging from the horse racing at the Derby and Royal Ascot, lawn tennis at Wimbledon, cricket at Lords and The Oval, to rowing at the Henley Royal Regatta. Sanctions gaps are opening, inflation in the West is increasing, and Donald Trump’s prospects for the Presidency remain challenging for Biden.

The past week can be seen as something of a small success for Putin.

Facebook friend mapper 2017