CHINA’S first dynasty tested the loyalty of its servants by summoning them to the palace to see what their eyes told them was a deer but which the most powerful official in the land told them was a horse.

Each was asked to name the animal; those who said what they saw were executed, those who said what they were told to see were rewarded.

How very relevant is this despotic Chinese political strategy for today’s public servants; whistle-blowers in the health service, the police and local government have learned to their cost that although their life may not be taken their professional life almost always is.

Organisations are no longer building their reputation on truth but rather on ensuring that painful truths do not surface.

We are seeing the institutionalisation of the perversion of truth for the comfort of our elected representatives; we have even the benefit of a newly created euphemism, coined by Kellyanne Conway, President Trump’s advisor and right-hand woman: ‘Alternative Facts’.

Fake news, a recent phenomenon of the digital era is contributing to the rapid demise of truth and, I would suggest, poses a real threat to democracy; fake news fools American adults 75% of the time and it played a not inconsiderable role in undermining Hillary Clinton’s bid for the American presidency.

So what to make of the honest stand taken by David Hodge, Conservative Leader of Surrey Council.

He successfully challenged the Government’s austerity ‘truth’. He is quoted as saying ‘I am sick and tired of politicians not telling the truth, I am not going to lie to the people of Surrey’.

He proposed a referendum to gauge Surrey residents’ willingness for a 15% council tax rise to meet the cost of essential services.

Perhaps ‘tell the truth and shame (embarrass) the devil’ is a factor; Philip Hammond and Jeremy Hunt are both Surrey MPs and cabinet ministers.

Sadly, Shropshire has no David Hodge to put pressure on our cabinet member MP and thereby ensure extra government funding for our hard-pressed community services.