Ruby again

The latest on Rubygate: Miss Rubacuori, who certainly doesn't seem to be shy, has said she would celebrate her 18th birthday with a cake decorated with 'Bunga-bunga', and criticised the Premier for letting just any tramp anyone into his house 'He can't expect discretion from people he doesn't know'. Love it.

The great man has replied to his critics 'As always, I work without interruption and if occasionally I happen to look a beautiful girl in the face, it's better to like beautiful girls than to be gay', a statement I believe no other western leader would have dared utter.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I wish that other countries could share the Berlusconi experience (the nearest the Brits have is the Duke of Edinburgh). I think the Italians would like to share him out a bit too.