Have you been tuning in to the various debates and interviews by candidates for the upcoming election?
I was full of good intentions at the outset but I've never enjoyed the shouting, belittling and haranguing of heated debates and these continue to be commonplace on our tv screens or in radio programmes today.
I did attend the local hustings, though, and was very encouraged that the audience members and four candidates all spoke in turn with respect and courtesy. There was no talking over each other and when incorrect information or accusations were made, individuals waited until it was their turn to respond before setting the matter straight. It was so refreshing, and it didn't undermine any one person's position. We were all listening and heeding the points that were being made. It illustrated how we don't need histrionics to appreciate the seriousness of a situation or position.
This was the case, too, during the Post Office inquiry earlier this month when the barrister Mr Beer interrogated the decisions and motivation of Paula Vennells as she dealt with the Horizon IT scandal. He never once raised his voice, nor did he make emotive or personal observations about her actions, and yet his questioning had huge impact and was revealing for its quiet, truth-telling.
My reading this week has included the book by Alistair Campbell urging us to all to get involved in politics (scroll down for details). In it he mentions that part of the reason his podcast 'The Rest is Politics' has gained such a vast, appreciative audience is because of the way he and Rory Stewart have debated their conflicting political views.
'We try to "disagree agreeably",' he says. 'This approach seems to strike a chord with a lot of people. But it is anathema to the polarising populist who needs divisiveness, who feeds off anger and hate, who wants disagreements to be disagreeable.'
Let's hope we continue to hear more respectful debate in the future.
Of course at book group that's always the case!
Do let me know if you're coming along to our discussion in Woodbridge tomorrow for 'Close to Home' by Michael Magee.
Or perhaps I'll see you in Framlingham on Wednesday, or at Felixstowe Book Festival at the weekend!
Thank you for reading.