LET'S hear it for liars.

They seem to have had nothing but bad press, since the day man stopped grunting, and started telling porkies about the woolly mammoth that got away.

Lying may not have made it into the Seven Deadly Sins, but you can bet your bottom dollar it was on the subs' bench, and I think it found its way into the Ten Commandments (something about bearing false witness, if I'm not mistaken).

I do accept that when it comes to lies there are some absolute stinkers. Conning little old ladies out of their life savings will never be socially acceptable. But then, neither will telling little kids that Santa doesn't exist.

Pinocchio probably did deserve punishment for lying to the good fairy, but personally I always thought having his nose grow so long was a little bit on the harsh side.

So should all lies really be in the same category? Well, actually, they're not.

Malicious lies of the kind that part a little old lady from her money are mortal sins, but others are apparently not as serious.

They are still sins, though. Even "You don't look a day over 40," or "No, it really suits you," or "Nonsense, you're much prettier/brighter/nicer than she is."

Yet these are the sort of lies that get us through the day; in fact, I'd argue that those who refuse to tell them are the real villains of the piece.

I seem to remember that Jade Goody's oft-chanted mantra in the Big Brother house was: "You know me I always speak my mind."

Whenever I hear someone say that, I look for the nearest exit before they can demonstrate just how honest they are.

Generally speaking, those who pride themselves on their frankness are exactly the people you wish would keep their opinions to themselves.

It's actually good manners that we're talking about here. The sort of thing they are apparently going to start teaching in schools, according to the news this week.

Lucky old teachers; I'm sure they're relishing the prospect. These new lessons will go down a storm, just as soon as they've got 35 of their class to stop tearing out the fingernails of the 36th.

Because by the time the little darlings have got to the third form, it's generally a bit too late to be teaching them social niceties like not shouting one another down, not gripping one another in half-nelsons, and not sending vile text messages systematically designed to oppress the skinniest/spottiest/ fattest of their number.

It's back to mum and dad again, I'm afraid.

Back to eating meals at table instead of in front of the telly, back to talking to one another instead of playing Grand Theft Auto, back to saying "please" and "thank you" instead of "whatever".

And whoever does bite the bullet and start trying to instil good manners, the key is not so much to chant "elbows off the table" or "hold the door open", as to take the trouble to explain why it's a good thing to do.

Some lucky parents may have kids who were born kind and considerate; many more learn to be thoughtful when they realise it is about caring for others - and that it's a two-way street.

As far as I'm concerned, good manners run to not telling someone the truth if you know that it will hurt.

Give me a considerate liar over an honest barbarian - every time.