When voters mistake stupidity for authenticity, we are all in danger

Are we at war yet?

Newspaper deadlines being what they are, you may, at the time of reading, be in a better position to answer that question than this column.

• Janet Daley
• Telegraph, London
• The Sydney Morning Herald

With startling suddenness, the world has reached one of those moments when catastrophic news seems imminent: in which, indeed, the chief actors actually appear to be willing events to take the most devastating, unthinkable course.

Or is it all just noise?

Belligerent, idiotic, irresponsible mouthing off by national leaders who are, by general global agreement, unfit to hold office?

The consensus at the moment is that this is the best we can hope for.

• When voters mistake…