The Italian Vice-Consulate in Bedford was closed in 2008 as part of a reorganisation of the diplomatic and consular network by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
More recently, however, Mr. Bo has been tainted by a scandal revolving around his former police chief and vice mayor, Wang Lijun, who sought refuge in the U.S. consulate in Chengdu in February before being taken away by security forces who had surrounded the building.