Of all the concerns in the world, the demise of the Ferrero Rocher ambassador might not be top of the agenda. In days gone by, thanks to an excruciating TV advert, the chocolate with the golden wrapping was synonymous with the diplomatic circuit. You really had made it if you offered them up to your bejewelled and bemedalled guests.

That was the 1990s. Almost all diplomats I have met over the years are very serious and very hardworking. They still must schmooze and dress up on occasion, but most of their time is spent trying to fathom out what’s going on and reporting that back to base, often from difficult places.

Thanks to Donald Trump, the job has got a whole lot harder. The basic tenets of British foreign policy have been shattered. Yet many of the problems predate him and are self-inflicted. Brexit stares diplomats in the face every day, requiring rictus smiles when reminded of the decade-old decision. Its consequences are not just the obvious ones. One is the informal exchange of ideas and experience that occurred at various EU gatherings; now Brits must knock on the door.

The so-called “reset” that Keir Starmer promised occurs in fits and starts. In keeping with his manner of governing, it frustrates all sides. Underlying it is a wider problem: the absence of a realistic strategy for Britain’s place in the world.

A combination of hubris and underconfidence guided the relationships of Margaret........

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