Tip of the hat to an indignant letter writer – the Italian equivalent of ‘digusted, of Tunbridge Wells’- spurred into action to write to La Repubblica having viewed the ‘spectacle’ of Italian senators reacting to the vote of no-confidence in Romano Prodi’s government.

For those of you who didn’t see the clips, attached below is a youtube clip. Suffice to say that before the vote a group of Senators hurled abuse, and physically threatened one of their own number, and after the vote bottles of spumante were opened noisily, whilst mortadella was eaten. All the antics of schoolboys, rather than highly-paid public servants one would think. At one point in the proceedings the speaker of the Senate urged his colleagues to behave themselves, reminding them that they were not in an Osteria or bar.

Disgusted from Tunbridge wells, suggests that the National Association of Hostelries gets its members to hang a notice outside each of their premises to remind clients that the Osteria is not the Senate. After all, who would want to go for a drink in a boorish place where spitting, and threats – both verbal and physical – are the norm.