Melanie McDonagh Melanie McDonagh

Political euphemism, Ulster-style

There was such a cherishable quote from DUP leader Peter Robinson on the occasion of the Queen’s visit to his old stamping ground, Coleraine Prison, I feel it shouldn’t go unapplauded. Mr Robinson recalled that he spent time at the prison ‘at her Majesty’s pleasure at a point during the last millennium’. The last millennium? So, sometime between, say, the Battle of Clontarf and the construction of the Millennium Dome? I love it, and commend the formula to politicians everywhere whose career lows took place before 2000. So last millennium…so over.

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