NO observer of the UK political scene could have failed to notice the recent increase in the use of inappropriate and deliberately provocative language by UK Government ministers. The Prime Minister’s malevolent use of the term “chain gang” when describing people carrying out community service is only the latest utterance in a litany of schismatic parlance designed to scapegoat members of British society whilst directly appealing to a right-wing xenophobic gallery of Conservative MPs and a growing alt-right wing base.
Jacob Rees-Mogg recently issued a belated apology for using the phrase “yellow peril” in the House of Commons. Similarly, the Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, apologised for urging the UK public not to “cower” before the threat of fresh outbreaks of the virus. Both ministers were purposely using terminology that they believe makes them and their government appear vigorous, resolute and dominant to the overwhelmingly right-wing press and to a sizeable part of the electorate.
READ MORE: Sajid Javid forced to retract comment about 'cowering' from Covid
Home Secretary Priti Patel is no stranger to the dark arts of evocative semantics, previously describing those representing asylum seekers as “lefty lawyers”, “activists” and “do gooders”, in the full knowledge that this would intimidate and alarm lawyers involved and make them a target for her more intolerant and ethnocentric supporters.
You do not have to be a student of linguistics to appreciate that Conservative ministers and their acolytes are consciously utilising language that attacks egalitarian agendas and reveals their crypto-fascist proclivities. This is, of course, endorsed by Boris Johnson, who favours bombastic and divisive soundbites at the expense of democratic debate and long-term policy guidelines. Careless and insensitive use of language is typical of his indolent, amoral and rudderless style of leadership, which owes much to the populist and narcissistic ramblings of ex-President Trump.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson defends Priti Patel in row with Police Federation over pay freeze
Indeed he and his motley group of ministers remind me of the insubstantial humbug regularly offered up by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in an effort to galvanise the support of the Italian people for his somewhat fragile fascist regime. Mussolini entreated his citizens to have “a dagger between our teeth, a bomb in our hands and infinite scorn in our hearts.” His hawkish oratory could only disguise his and his government’s political and military limitations for so long, and history knows him as an arrogant cardboard Caesar who took his country to the brink of destruction.
We can only hope that the people of the UK wise up to the rhetoric of Johnson and his delinquent gang. In Scotland we have but one option to secure an escape from this Tory-induced purgatory. Independence. Now.
Owen Kelly
Stirling
IS it just me or are others sickened and disheartened on a daily basis by the lack of control Scotland seems to have over ourselves and our lives?
I listen to the disgusting rhetoric from the Westminster eejits and in Scotland to the absolute drivel spoken by “the opposition”. It’s all about point-scoring as “the opposition” critique what our First Minister and Scottish Government say and do. They make no mention of our empty shelves and the destruction that Brexit is foisting on us – or Priti Patel’s war agin refugees or the sleekit dismantling of our Scottish Parliament.
The so-called opposition haven’t got the courage to get behind Scottish Government, to work with them for the good of our people and our country – all they can do is talk drivel and moan while ignoring the vicious right-wing Westminster cabal who care nothing for Scotland. Labour and Tories want Scotland to fail.
Well its time, folks in Scotland – Westminster and “the opposition” offer us no future, no control over the choices that we make to help grow our country. We are worth more, we can do this. Let’s get our indy campaign going – let’s take back our control and give ourselves a future.
Jan Ferrie
Ayrshire
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