I’VE often said that if our political lords and masters behaved themselves as well as lesser folk – as they probably think of you and me – we would all be a lot happier.

Being hit by daily headlines about greed and sleaze makes you punch-drunk. So, it is sobering and salutary to meet people who make things better for their community, who display generosity, resilience and determination in difficult circumstances; the ordinary people who do extraordinary things.

At the weekend, I spoke at the annual dinner commemorating Lance Corporal Ben Hyde, from Northallerton. Six years ago, Ben, aged 23, was killed near Basra, Iraq, with five colleagues from the Royal Military Police.

From their personal grief, his parents – John and Sandra – have created something of great public good, the Ben Hyde Memorial Trust, which has raised £30,000 for good causes around their beloved home town.

The trust has provided strips for the under- 12s’ football team Ben played for – Northallerton Juniors; it has helped the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton College and the Dales School; it has even provided starting blocks for young swimmers.

In turn, local people have given unstinting support; concerts by the Northallerton Silver Band; support for the coast-to-coast walk that John and three friends did last month; the Royal Ascot winnings donated by a group of lucky punters, to name just a few.

The activities of the trust typify the virtuous circle that underpins community life in this country. The circle is created by people doing things that help them fulfil a personal goal – in this case the commemoration of a wonderful son and exemplary soldier – while providing a benefit for the wider community.

People form circles like this because most of us would rather join hands with someone than give them the cold shoulder. Most communities have circles like this, voluntary groups, neighbourhood associations, fundraising clubs, constantly enriching the lives of their members and the wider community.

They do so spontaneously and they are more accountable to their community than – dare I say it – most councils. They work superbly well because most of us, like the good folk in Northallerton, want to do our best for our community and fellow citizens. We act responsibly.

Given that most of us behave like this, I find it sad that politics in this country is based on suspicion and not trust, suppression of the truth rather than sharing of facts.

It now transpires that most of the evidence in Sir John Chilcot’s inquiry into the Iraq war will be given in public, the exceptions being matters relating to national security.

The Prime Minister and his colleagues initially deemed it necessary for Chilcot to sit in private – because they want to starve us of openness and information. Our rulers, the political and economic elite, want to ration the truth. They are the Mr Bumbles of democracy.

But just like Oliver Twist, we have now told them we want some more – not the thin gruel of half-truths, but good meaty openness and honesty. They should serve it up.

They should do so because the extraordinary, ordinary people of this country, the ones who work hard and get on with the job, who don’t flip or fiddle, deserve to be treated better. They deserve to be trusted.

If our masters talked with them, rather than at or down to them, they would learn a lot; about decency and dignity and other wholesome, useful things as well. We need to have that conversation soon. Northallerton might not be a bad place to break the ice.