The inspectors of the International Olympics Committee are in London, and all the stops are being pulled out to impress these grandees. Appropriately enough, given the Olympics’ long association with totalitarian pageantry, this detail, I thought, brought a hint of Speer, a touch of Riefenstahl, to the proceedings:

“At the palace the commission was led through the quadrangle, illuminated by torches…”

The only thing missing? A speech by Prince Harry.

Connoisseurs of the continuing Tory collapse meanwhile will note that Tory ‘leader’ Michael Howard has endorsed the British capital’s bid for Olympic martyrdom.

Paris 2012!