Brighton Tories gone mad!

I'm of an age where I can remember the bile directed at anyone who thought using racist or sexist language was a bad thing. The right-wing press went on an extra-ordinary crusade throughout the eighties to defend it's "I'm not racist but..." position of "it's just a bit of fun" to be a foul, bigoted git.

Anyway, if you were there you'll also remember how left-wing councils were attacked for bizarre language games where no one could refer to black bin bags for fear of being sent to a re-education camp in Germaine Greer's back garden.

The fact that these were stories were by and large a pile of gross distortions or straight up lies will surprise no-one familiar with today's tabloid culture, although it would be a mistake to think the mild version we get today is in any way a relation to the rampaging hate that requests not to use foul, chauvinist language were subjected to back in the day.

The most famous bullshit example was the report of a council who'd changed the words of a nursery rhyme to "Baa, Baa Green Sheep" which is ironic given recent events in Brighton.

It has been alleged that the Tories in Brighton and Hove council have banned employees from using the word green because, as we all know, Green equals Communism and Communism is off message.

The Brighton Argos reports that "Council workers claim they are being told not to use the word green over fears it is increasing support for the Green Party. Officers at Brighton and Hove City Council say they are instead being asked to replace the word with "sustainable" or "environmentally-friendly."

"A council contractor said: "There's no official policy but since the Tory administration came into power there has been increasing talk about not using the word green because of its association with the Green Party.""

Revenge!

Tories say goodbye to "green shoots of recovery", don't think electing Cameron will be OK because "the grass is always greener", don't even consider "turning green with envy" at the right's ascendancy because the "green eyed monster" will have to get tinted contacts if he wants to rear his ugly head anywhere near the south coast.

It's 'Brighton Tories gone mad' - again - but tinkering with words wont save them from the inevitable.