The London bureau chief for Germany’s public broadcaster reflects on Britain’s government.

Is Brexit going well? The same media outlets that blurted deafening pro-Leave messages have become eerily quiet of late.

As crises mount, the polls show voters turning at last. But the national newspapers that backed Leave – even the two now edited by Remainers – continue to pretend there is nothing wrong.

Comments made by the Sir Kim Darroch, the British Ambassador to the US, on the Trump administration have been leaked to pro-Brexit journalist Isabel Oakshott, with key Brexiteers exploiting them to attack the civil service and diplomatic corps and call for the removal of non-Brexit-supporting civil servants.

It’s chilling. From the Mail, The Times to the BBC and ITN, everyone is peddling Downing Street’s lies and smears. They’re turning their readers into dupes.

Rapt observers around the globe are confused, amused and saddened by a crisis that has torn Britain’s reputation for stability to shreds.