“One clown in Washington is enough”

Guy Verhofstadt, Belgium’s first Liberal prime minister (1999-2008) since the 19th century, who now leads the group of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) in the European Parliament, tweeted a response to Donald Trump’s suggestion that Nigel Farage should be made British ambassador to Washington: “One clown in Washington is enough”.

Inevitably, he was subjected to a stream of insults – though, the target being a man, they are not of the sexual-violence or physical-appearance variety.

No wonder sane people are no longer commenting on line in their own name, and even those using an alias are being forced out of the arena.