I was beginning to think that everything had really changed, that politicians were going answer the questions asked of them. However little I might agree with their policies, the courtesy and intelligence shown by cabinet ministers were winning me over to the "new politics".
And then Eric Pickles appears on the BBC and everything is back to normal - questions evaded, contrary evidence scorned, questions answered that were never asked, the radio shouted at. It doesn't make me feel any better.
