THE Flixton Folk Festival, well-known for its music and drama, hit a more serious note on Monday night with the Flixton Lecture at St. Michael’s Church.

Professor Peter Barberis, Professor of Politics at Manchester Metropolitan University who spoke on the question of Losing the idea of Public Service, can the church help save the nation? was introduced by Professor Peter Scott, Samuel Ferguson Professor of Theology at Manchester University.

Professor Barberis considered the public service ethos and the need for morality, a sense of duty and concern for the common good.

“We are not billiard balls bumping into each other. To be good citizens, we have to have certain values and moral commitments,” he said.

He referred to the past when there were high minded people in high office.

“There never was a golden age but a gold-plated age,” he said.