British politics ought to revolve around just one question. Why are we falling behind other advanced economies? That question should have dominated the recent by-elections. It should be the focus of every party manifesto. It should occupy our front pages and lead our news bulletins. Yet it is being almost wholly ignored as we quarrel about equality, obesity, trans rights and other ephemera.

Britain has some of the lowest productivity in the developed world, meaning that we generate less stuff per hour. Slovenes are overtaking us now, and Poles are on course to do so in the mid-2030s. South Koreans, who had a third of our income per head as recently as 1985, have already surpassed us. Yet we refuse to acknowledge, let alone address, the causes of our decline.

Consider the oceans of ink spilt over the question of Nigel Farage’s bank account. That row dominated our news cycle for a week, following the usual trajectory of a culture-war skirmish. Commentators started from whether or not they liked Farage, and then proclaimed their supposed general principles on that basis. When the facts emerged, Farage’s critics looked foolish. The other side piled in with gusto.