Security expert Mal Geer of Prime Media, a firm instructing journalists how to cope in riot situations, says kettling is so called because "it takes the steam out of a potentially violent situation".
The onslaught of media reports about high-living politicians contrasts with the struggles of many Italian voters who are straining to cope with tax increases, pension cuts and other austerity measures introduced to fight the crisis.
Shadow culture, media and sport minister Lord Stevenson of Balmacara raised questions about whether traffic and public transport infrastructures would be able to cope with the volume of visitors.