Lord Singh of Wimbledon
Main Page: Lord Singh of Wimbledon (Crossbench - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Singh of Wimbledon's debates with the Cabinet Office
(5 years, 8 months ago)
Lords ChamberI think my noble friend will understand if I do not venture too deeply into matters that are the responsibility of another government department. It would be helpful, however, if the Labour Party could explain its policy on Brexit in plain English.
My Lords, will the Minister agree that we also need to look at the down side of the use of plain English? It would seriously harm the fine art of obfuscation and the career prospects of many civil servants. Impenetrable briefs given to Ministers might be replaced by help towards straight answers. That could be the end of government as we know it.
The noble Lord may have read the Manchester Guardian in 1794, when the same issue arose. I quote:
“The nonsensical jargon of the old Ministries must be replaced by a simple style, clear and yet concise, free from expressions of servility, from obsequious formulae, stand-offishness, pedantry, or any suggestion that there is an authority superior to that of reason, or of the order established by law”.