The rush to judgement stops real lessons being learned

We would all benefit from a kinder and more thoughtful form of politics, writes Keith Howell

This has been a year of unprecedented political turmoil, interspersed by heartbreaking tragedies of the cruellest kind. Undoubtedly we have seen the human spirit tested severely, with some finding the best of themselves in helping others, while there have been those who have allowed the worst of human reactions to come to the fore.

The general election result surprised almost everyone, and while each political party tried to put a positive slant on the outcome, most had as much to regret as to savour in the outcome.

Meanwhile, the conduct of the election campaign itself often left much to be desired. The nature of exchanges in some debates provided the very poorest of adverts for rational discourse, as presenters struggled to prevent speakers berating opponents and speaking over each other. Some notable interventions came from members of the public, when for once politicians had to be more respectful with their responses. All too often, the general tone of debates descended into gladiatorial contests, at the expense of either insightful analysis or rousing oratory.

After each debate, pundits noted whether any of the participants had made serious gaffes, as if creating the circumstances for such missteps was a fundamental purpose of the exercise. Similarly, many of the one-on-one interviews seemed primarily about trying to catch out the party leaders. Many interviews descended into the questioners