"little understanding of the actual art of politics" – The...

"little understanding of the actual art of politics" – The problem for the politicians is that we, the armchair observers, have learned to understand it too well. Realpolitik is about conniving and manipulating your way to the front of the party branch to snag yourself an endorsement before you can even run in an election. And once there it's about conniving and manipulating your way into a leadership position. And once there it's about conniving and manipulating your way to retain that position. So what we get in parliament are the best of the best connivers, manipulators, back-stabbers, misrepresenters of political opponents, and repeaters of bland public-appeasing platitudes.

All of this would be acceptable if those skills and capabilities intersected in any way with responsible leadership and government.

Unfortunately they don't.