It’s pretty appalling and embarrassing, in equal measure, that both women selected to chair the Government child sex abuse inquiry have now been forced to resign because of alleged links to possible suspects.

In fact, a brief look at how most officials are selected in this country doesn’t exactly inspire one with confidence. In the main, it is done secretly behind locked doors by committees whose members are unaccountable to those who they are appointed to serve. Just look at our legal system and at some of the judges who have made headlines in recent months through various bizarre rulings and out-of-touch statements. Nobody can say for certain how those judges are appointed but you can bet your bottom dollar that their old school tie, gentlemen’s club membership and Masonic lodges all play a big part in it.

Perhaps we should review the whole system and consider adopting a more democratic and open system such as that of the United States where judges, sheriffs and other public officials are all elected democratically and are directly responsible to those who appoint them, namely the public. I am not saying that the American system is perfect but it certainly seems a lot fairer, open and more transparent than ours.