If I might be afforded a moment of levity, in 1974 at Broadford on the Isle of Skye my dad and I visited the local pub for a spot of lunch. There were two signs on the wall behind the bar that I noticed. One was in the shape of a US coin, and round the edge it said IN GOD WE TRUST. THE REST PAY CASH. The other said CREDIT IS AVAILABLE TO CUSTOMERS OVER THE AGE OF 90 PROVIDED THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY BOTH PARENTS.

Well the latter was outdone today by a report in the Guardian, which stated that an Italian man aged 101, resident in the UK since 1966 and who has had to apply to stay in the UK post-brexit, has been told by the Home Office that his parents must confirm his ID...