AS A musician and poet accustomed to doing a substantial part of my work in mainland Europe, I’d like to congratulate Oliver Dowden on his much longed-for breakthrough agreement allowing us to tour there visa-free once more.

I don’t want to sound churlish in his moment of triumph but it behoves me to observe that it does, however, miss a few countries out.

Rather a lot, if truth be told. Basically, nearly everywhere, actually.