If you want to see what the next 10 years have in store...

Check out what happened to Russia after the fall of the Berlin wall.

Satellite states devolved from central Rusian control: We have our own analogue here with talk of Scottish independance and possibly the Welsh and Northern Irish vying for more autonomy.

The Russian armed forces fell into disrepair: Trident is now possibly for the chop and I've a feeling that the carriers the Navy want may never be built (quite where that would leave the Joint Strike Fighter is anyone's guess). We have a force of the most inadequate helicopters imaginable and our soldier still drive around in inadequate vehicles.

The Russian government ran out of money to pay its workers: well, if the government keeps spending money like water and the money markets deem us bankrupt, guess what'll happen here?

Political and business corruption became rife: Er, well, there's one thing we've already got, in spades. Dodgy deals on Russian yachts, MPs expenses, bribes in the House of Lords.....

It really is no wonder Russians are doing more business here every day, it must seem so much like home. I see the new Magna deal to buy Vauxhall and Opel is backed by a Russian bank. I pity Vauxhall workers: they'll probably end up like those at LDV and TVR. Both had Russian involvement and both failed.