How can you tell when a politician is lying? (From Warrington Guardian)

How can you tell when a politician is lying?

MY late father had many epithets and little sayings which he interjected into the conversation at what he considered to be the most amusing and appropriate times.

He used them so regularly, it was like watching Pavlov's dogs in action.

Any time a politician of any party appeared on television, my father would pose the question: "How can you tell when a politician is lying?" He would immediately answer himself: "You can see his lips moving."

I always felt this was a little harsh. That was until politicians local, county and national, came out of hiding and popped their heads above the parapet regarding the proposals for a north west regional assembly.

I understand that we will have the chance to vote in a referendum about the future of local government and the services it delivers to us, the Council Tax payers.

But on what basis are we to make the decision? How do we undo the Gordian Knot to decide who our leaders will be?

Alexander the Great solved the problem by cutting through the knot with his sword. What would we give for leaders of such decisiveness?

I can't help feeling that what we are currently witnessing, and what we are likely to witness until the referendum, is local politicians and officers posturing, putting out propaganda and disinformation, jockeying for position and trying to hold on to their jobs. There are too many vested interests here for truth to be the victor.

I suspect what we are likely to see is decisions taken in the best interests of those who currently wield power - and who want power in the future - and not in the best interests of Council Tax payers.

I don't know if an elected regional assembly is a good thing or not. I don't know if we will be better off with Cheshire County Council as the second tier or if we would be better of with Vale Royal merging with Crewe and Nantwich. I don't know if it would be better to leave everything as it is.

The tragedy is that I don't believe we will ever get truthful, unbiased, honest information on which to base our decision come the autumn referendum.

As my father would have said: "How can you tell when a politician is lying?"

OUTSIDER