The Yorkshire Post
·Aug 2026
Language is always shifting but there are some phrases that need to be consigned to the bin
David Blunkett criticizes formulaic language used by politicians and civil servants, including “delighted,” “we stand ready,” “working at pace,” “agency,” “hard yard” and “tectonic plates.” Drawing on his time in government, he argues that such expressions obscure whether meaningful action is being taken and create distance between public institutions and ordinary people. He attributes some newer linguistic habits to American cultural influence, weak teaching of spoken communication and social media, while acknowledging that fashionable phrases eventually disappear.