POLITICIANS like to lecture us journalists on our moral standards. That's the equivalent of Michael Barrymore criticising Pop Idol's Darius for being a shameless publicity seeker.

Disreputable hacks twist the facts and occasionally make things up. Our political leaders lie to us to win power and then lie to us to keep it.

The Stephen Byers business, Tony Blair's "Garbagegate", Mandelson, Robinson; they are all part of the sleaze slick that has oozed out of Downing Street for years.

One commentator from a right-wing tabloid this week described New Labour as "the most disgusting, amoral Government this country has ever had the misfortune to elect".

Rubbish. It still has some way to go to out-grim the last lot, with all their cash for questions and lies about arms sales. And so far no senior Labour politician has been jailed for perjuring themselves (give 'em time, give 'em time...)

Unlike BSE and foot and mouth, political mendacity is a disease not confined to these shores. In Australia, the Governor General Peter Hollingworth is up to his jowls in claims that he covered up child abuse. And in America senators and presidents spend billions of dollars a year keeping the truth from their people.

This doesn't normally affect us. But when US propaganda is in danger of turning the beautiful North York Moors into a blackened heap of ash, we should take notice.

Thanks to the Evening Press's intrepid Matthew Woodcock, we now know quite how dishonest the US military establishment can be. Matthew took our campaign to say no to Son of Star Wars - the crazy missile defence scheme that threatens a new arms race - to the Pentagon in Washington. There he was told by Lieutenant-Colonel Rick Lehner, apologist-in-chief for missile defence, that "no decision had been made" about using RAF Fylingdales on the North York Moors and Menwith Hill near Harrogate as part of the system.

Anyone who has half an interest in this story (and that's anyone in Yorkshire who does not wish to be fried) knows this is tosh. Mr Blair does whatever President Bush wants, and he wants missile defence.

And missile defence won't work without Fylingdales and Menwith Hill. They are the world's biggest pair of ears, and if they hear so much as a cap gun fired with anti-American intent, the Washington warheads will be on their way.

Rather patronisingly, Lt-Col Lehner told Matthew that a rogue state might be more keen to destroy LA or Chicago before turning its wrath on Hutton-le-Hole. In fact, the simplest logic dictates it would be the other way around.

"GCSE Examination In Basic Terrorism; paper I, question 1 (45 mins). You are an international extremist determined to destroy Los Angeles (perhaps you want to get your own back on Hollywood for The Phantom Menace). Do you a) send your nuclear missile towards LA, knowing it will be shot down in space by missile defence; or b) first bomb the undefended US bases in North Yorkshire, crippling missile defence, leaving you free to pick off other targets at will? Give reasons for your answer."

Our Matthew also spoke to American defence expert Dr John Pike. He is not beholden to the President or the Pentagon, and so gives straight answers to straight questions. "It's a done deal that they will use Fylingdales and Menwith Hill," Dr Pike said. "They will say as little as possible if they can get away with it."

Exactly. If you want to know the truth, don't ask a politician. At the next G7 summit, we should herd them together and chant "Liar, liar pants on fire" until they perish in an underwear-based conflagration.

Updated: 10:33 Wednesday, February 27, 2002