London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Dec 26, 2024

How nicknames invaded British politics

How nicknames invaded British politics

"He's Mr 24 tax rises!" Sir Keir Starmer's latest zinger at Prime Minister's Questions is unlikely to be added to the list of great political insults.
But it was part of a trend. Last week, Rishi Sunak dubbed his Labour opponent "Sir Softie". Which without the context - an attack on Sir Keir's crime-busting credentials - sounds like a not-very-threatening ice cream man.

Both men have got a lot of work to do on their nickname game, according to author and political commentator Andrew Gimson.

"They are both quite professional. Neither of them are natural name callers and that is one reason why it doesn't come out with any conviction."

Boris Johnson was better at it, he says. The former prime minister liked to taunt Sir Keir as "Captain Hindsight", which later evolved, if that's the right word, into the more ornate Captain Crasheroonie Snoozefest.

Many will argue that puerile name calling and personal abuse have no place in politics. They will point to Donald Trump, who built an entire political brand on nicknames and insults ("Trump was good at it," notes Andrew Gimson).

But, argues author and former Labour adviser Ayesha Hazarika, we should not be too squeamish or high-minded about political insults.

When they are done well, they can be a powerful way of distilling, or "framing", a complicated and nuanced message - a useful "shortcut" to the public's brain, with the added advantage of making your opponent look ridiculous, she says.

But she adds: "They only work if they are snappy, memorable and have a ring of truth."

There is a long tradition of insults in British politics.

Older readers may remember Labour bruiser Denis Healey describing an attack by a mild-mannered Tory opponent as like being "savaged by a dead sheep".

Then there was equally mild-mannered Sir Vince Cable getting big laughs at Gordon Brown's expense with this line: "The House has noticed the prime minister's remarkable transformation in the past few weeks - from Stalin to Mr Bean."

More recently, nicknames - which can easily be turned into social media hashtags and memes - have been all the rage, as opposed to more elegantly phrased takedowns.

Suella Braverman was dubbed "Leaky Sue" by Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey. Tory co-chairman Lee Anderson got the nickname "30p Lee" on social media after making controversial comments about food banks. And so it goes on.

Rishi Sunak cribbed "Sir Softie" from a headline in The Sun and it got a bit of pick up on Tory social media.

Ayesha Hazarika - who in a former life spent time dreaming up jibes as part of the team preparing then Labour leader Ed Miliband for PMQs - does not think it will catch on.

"I cannot tell you how ridiculous that was. It is so childish, it's the kind of stuff your toddler would say to you. It wasn't clever and it wasn't sharp."

But she adds: "I think both sides are really struggling with it at the moment. You have got to be prepared to be quite rude, which is fine, but it's also got to work."

Social media consultant Matt Navarra says there is "nothing new" about politicians using "divisive" language to generate social media attention, particularly on Twitter.

But, he warns, the mood may be changing. Government ministers, who are currently passing legislation to clamp down on online abuse, should be particularly careful in their use of language, or risk becoming a target themselves.

"It only takes one wrong turn of phrase, or for people to misconstrue what you have said," warns Mr Navarra, who would no doubt be dubbed Captain Cautious, if he was a member of the House of Commons.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Pope Francis Urges Unprecedented Dialogue Amid Escalating Ukraine-Russia Tensions
Dozens Survive Kazakhstan Passenger Jet Crash Amid Tragedy
Kazakhstan Air Disaster: Dozens Survive as Authorities Probe Fatal Plane Crash
Postal Workers Demand Government Probe Into Royal Mail 'Fake Deliveries' Scandal
Explosion Sinks Russian Cargo Ship Ursa Major in Mediterranean
Mystery Shrouds U.S. Citizen Gene Spector's 15-Year Espionage Sentence in Moscow
Zelenskyy Alleges 3,000 North Korean Casualties in Russian Conflict
North Korea's Unseen Hand: Over 1,000 Troops Suffer Casualties in Ukraine
Discovery of 50,000-Year-Old Baby Mammoth in Siberia Fascinates Scientists
Magdeburg Attack Fuels AfD's Political Momentum Amid Rising Tensions
In Magdeburg, Germany, a man is arrested by the police for declaring, "I am a Christian."
UK News Roundup: London Shooting, Travel Disruptions, and Legal Battles
UK Economy Teeters on Recession's Edge Amid Revised Growth Figures
Australian Man Captured in Ukraine Conflict; Government Seeks Answers
Zelenskyy’s Push for NATO: A High-Stakes Gamble for Eastern European Stability
Slovak Pragmatism or EU Discord: Prime Minister Fico’s Polarizing Moscow Engagement
The Ripple Effects of a Russian Victory in Ukraine: A Global Tectonic Shift
U.S. Government Shutdown Averted by Last-Minute Agreement
Tragedy in Magdeburg: Saudi Doctor's Alleged Terror Attack at German Christmas Market Ignites Global Security Debate
Tragedy Strikes at Magdeburg Christmas Market: Terror Attack Leaves Five Dead
Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger Discovered in Nursing Home Following Six Months of Inaction
Prince William to End Feudal Land Restrictions in Duchy of Cornwall, but Controversies Remain
British police appear unprepared to deal with usual suspects
Russia's Ballistic Blitz on Kyiv Sends Shockwaves Through Global Stability
Multiple Tragedies and Tensions Mark Global Events: A Closer Look
Elon Musk's AfD Endorsement Ignites Controversy from neo-Nazis who accuse the AfD of being what they themselves are
Ukraine Claims Unprecedented Russian Losses: The Truth Behind Wartime Statistics
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
UK Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine: A Strategic Move or Intensifying The Proxy War?
Renewed ISIS Threat Puts Syria’s Cultural Heritage in Peril
Escalation in Moscow: High-Profile Assassination and International Tensions Intensify
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: A New Cold War Frontier?
Ukraine's Bold Move: High-Stakes Assassination of Russian General in Moscow
Dubai's Technological Leap: Brain Chips and AI Board Members by 2025
Tragedy Strikes Wisconsin School as Shooting Claims Lives of Teacher and Student
UK's Calculated Gamble: Balancing Defense Aid to Ukraine and Domestic Demands
UK Intensifies Stranglehold on Russian Oil, but Does It Dampen Putin’s Resolve?
×