Another election, another fruitless shouting match which has demonstrated that we British simply do not want to hear the truth about the National Health Service.

In attempting to please an electorate that seemed even grumpier than usual, the main parties served up hypocrisy on healthcare with a side order of cant. The Conservatives are so terrified of being accused of heresy towards the NHS that they simply intoned their love for doctors and nurses and promised more money. The Labour Party did what it has done in every closely fought election. It alighted on a heart-rending story involving a sick child to illustrate the wickedness of the Scrooge-like Tories.

This poor standard of debate is largely the fault of voters, of course. We love “our