As the old year passes away, I’m tempted to think that 2025 is the year that decency and decorum came closer to taking their dying breath.

In so many areas of public life, but also sadly among ordinary folk, an increasing lack of good manners and respect has been in evidence.

Arguments and debates over hot topics like gender, immigration, welfare and others have often been conducted in rancorous fashion with a lack of good faith and respect shown to opposing points of view.

Social media has greatly exacerbated the situation with algorithms corralling folk with similar points of view into believing that their opinions are shared more widely than may be the case and, in doing so, convincing them ineluctably of their righteousness.

Mainstream media can’t escape criticism here, with some in the trade in national newspapers and broadcasting having appeared to swap........

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