“THERE is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been.

“The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge’.”

The thoughts of science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, just under 37 years ago.

You can exchange the words ‘United States’ with ‘United Kingdom’ fairly easily. The circumstances certainly haven’t changed.

This week head teachers have been issuing dark warnings that subjects will have to be dropped and staffing levels re-examined amid the ongoing controversy over the new schools funding formula, which will leave hefty debts for many establishments.

But that’s fine because – as any government minister will tell you – they clearly know best.

And when your local council or health trust continues to tighten its belts because we are facing a social care crisis? Not to worry, there’s mountains of waste within both, they say.

Look – we have got some think tanks packed with people who’ve never held down jobs in the real world to back us up.

Junior doctors – remember them? How dare they bleat about working double shifts and wanting a few hours sleep. We’ve got the (umpteenth) plan to reshape the NHS to think about, say our rulers.

Don’t even mention train guards and their ilk. Who wouldn’t want to be left alone on the last service out of Manchester Oxford Road or Liverpool Lime Street with a carriage full of volatile drunks. Safety concerns be damned.

This is the calibre of people who spawned George ‘Six Jobs’ Osborne. Or for party political balance Tony ‘Peace In The Middle East’ Blair.

For fun, count up the number of former Labour or Tory ministers who now hold directorships in fields related to their former employment.

You can treat all ‘experts’ with the contempt or admiration they deserve. Just don’t work on the recommendations of the political classes.