Douglas Carswell's Blog

Politician-speak falls on deaf ears

Why are indictments always damning? Families described as hard working? Communities ever vibrant? And one's opponents constantly having to come clean?

Politicians – rather like senior Church of England clergy – seem to acquire a distinctive way of speaking. But while soft Anglican tones might make you sound thoughtful and churchy, politician-speak simply makes the person talking come across as implausible.

So why do many in SW1 speak in cliché? Often it is because they think in cliché - "Nick Clegg". Or because they are sticking to a deliberately scripted line to take – "aspiration".

Others seem to assume a slightly pompous tone because they are under the impression that that is how a politician ought to sound – "....and I say to you". Or they have a speech writer who does.

Many in SW1 recycle phrases - "fit for purpose" – they hear other people use because they last had an original thought in mid 1990 something.

Frank Luntz – an American pollster, who I had the immense good fortune to once bump into – famously declared that "it's not what you say, it's what people hear" that matters. Listen to yourself the way others might hear you.

Surprisingly, given that they are in the business of politics, many MPs are not so great at communicating.  Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that seven out of ten Parliamentary constituencies are safe seats?

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