Have you noticed how powerful the idea to bring control ever more local is beginning to pervade every area of politics.
It exists and is growing at every level.
UKIP and I suspect the majority of us, The British Public as a whole, would have us leave the European Economic Community and reclaim control of our borders, and a destiny free from the supposed tyranny of oppression from an Orwellian superclass of unelected bureaucrats, if it were not for the potential damaging effect of regressing from a state of inter-dependence to a more teenage status.
How realistic is it to think that closer control of everything will be better. Such a view is based on the idea that we now better than people who dedicate their lives to understanding.
One unintended outcome of this obsession is the continual bubbling up of personalities rather than policies in matters of strategic import.
Last week you could have been forgiven in thinking that our economic problems were over as the news concentrated on anything but policies that will lift us out of debt and once again into a position of being able to afford ourselves.
The personalities in the news have, or have had a part to play in the fortunes of the nation in one way or another... Nigel Farage and Alex Salmond, are both promoting the simplicity and independence arguments. Jeremy Clarkson has been doing his best by not being too scared to speak for fear of offending one group or another and the loss of Jeremy Paxman is a loss. His interviews with Messrs Blair, Howard and Conrad Black impacted the national mood and fed a growing disrespect for Politicians and Fat Cats.
We lost Bob Hoskins, who played a key part in a UK Industry where we excel and are the best in the world; film, TV and the creative industries.
The crashing fall from grace of Max Clifford who ruled tabloid Britain in the day, probably the most potent force in setting the consumer confidence which powers 70% of the economy, shows a seismic post shift in the way in which these shapers of public opinion are now being used.
The arrest of Gerry Adams, reminded us that no matter how hurtful is the past, we have to focus hard on today. It’s a tough balance to strike when weighing which baggage from the past is best left behind.
Behind every celebrity in the news is an important economic policy debate.