It's the political class themselves that brought us to this point. There was a time not so long ago when a politician caught speaking falsely to the public would immediately resign. Even if he mislead the public unwittingly. It was a question of honour, and the duty of accuracy he had to public office. Modern politicians rejected that ethos, and it seems like a quaint and archaic notion now. At first the public was outraged that deceptive people would remain in office. The public rightly demanded that they leave. But faced with political intransigence, the difficulty of recalling a politician and the growing numbers of politicians who refused to resign, the public could do nothing. That began the race to the bottom, the current nadir being Donald Trump.

First politicians devalued their political currency. Inflated promises became rife. Now even a wheelbarrow full of their statements is worth nothing.