Peter Hitchens often speaks of the Blair revolution that most people dont even realise happened. I tend to agree. What happened during the Blair years have had such a massive impact on the country that in many respects its now unrecognisable from what it was pre 1997.
If I won the lottery (which I dont even do) I would seriously consider a second home in Italy. Havent seen that much of it, but what I have seen made me fall in love with the place.