Shared Opinion

‘Sleaze’ is such a nasty word. How much nicer to call it ‘anti-parliamentary activity’

Sometimes, the answer is staring you right in the face. As the Speaker begins to wonder how he can tighten up rules on parliamentary finances without admitting that the day of the Honourable Member is past, the Guardian reports that the Home Office is producing a new phrasebook to advise civil servants how to discuss terrorism inoffensively with Muslims. Here, I suggest, we have a model.

‘Look at this!’ some bright young Commons researcher may be about to say to his MP. ‘I’ve written a phrasebook. It allows people to talk about cleaning up politics without sounding like they are accusing all politicians of being dirty crooks.’

‘Great work!’ his boss may respond. ‘I suppose you’ll be wanting a bonus. Pop back into the office, when you’ve a minute, and sort it out with your mother.’