Strategic truth is the status quo in UK politics: it is easy to interrogate, it is expected to answer questions, and the media is used to both spotting it and interogating it.

Bad faith flat out liars do not respond to interrogation, because they do not feel the need to.

It's not that difficult to imagine a set of steps that return us to the pre-social-media days where politicians were expected to colour only within the lines, as a matter of ethics and principle.

And it would be better, not worse, than the kinds of lies that risk our democracies now.