I always had a sneaking admiration for Paul Keating, the former Australian PM given to using somewhat colourful language about his opponents. On one occasion he referred to opposition MPs as "scumbags," on another to the then opposition leader Andrew Peacock as a "gutless spiv." An exhaustive list of Keating's insults can be found
HERE.
Of course, such things would never be allowed in our own House of Commons, although the Warley MP John Spellar did once use the word
cunts in the Chamber.
But should we be so hung up about so-called "unparliamentary language?" Or should it be
fair dinkum for British political parties to go around using words like
Inner Tosser?Norman Tebbit thinks not. He said today:
"There is no foul language nor physical or moral degradation which is not now embraced by the current orthodoxy. Unfortunately, the orthodoxy has reached the Conservative Party. It is not a word I would even use about Polly Toynbee."For my part, I tend towards
Guido's verdict on the Tories' new anti-debt campaign - that it was an idea best left in the men's room. "
It has all the hallmarks of being the product of a coke-crazed ad exec's inspired idea thought up after lunch in Soho," he says.
A coke-crazed ad-man? In the Tory Party? Whoever can he mean?
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