Rather than criticising the “apathy” of their masters, politicians should ask themselves WHY they don’t vote. Given that all three main parties now offer close-to-identical programmes (the only outstanding political question is how much economic damage each is prepared to do to prove its Green credentials) NOT voting is a rational choice.

Our problem is that ONLY the partisan, the tribal, the unthinking supporters of one party or another are voting now. The truly rational ones make better use of their time. That cannot be good for democracy.

The most shocking thing of all is that politicians elected by minorities of unthinking partisans believe they have a democratic mandate. Parliament should default to inaction. Change should only be possible with a democratic mandate.

Maybe it would be better to change the rules so that any seat where the “winner” had secured less than 50% of the vote was simply left vacant? And if less than 50% of seats were filled, then Parliament itself would lose its right to enact laws?