The Right Dishonourable

‘Words have power’ is a common sentiment among public life’s scribblers, as well as many of its participants. One sense in which this is true is that they give solidity to what George Orwell termed “pure wind” in his famous essay about political language.

The distinction between abstract and concrete promises is the subject of a piece in UnHerd today by the writer Zachary Hardman. Citing Orwell and others, Hardman argues that politicians’ increasing focus on the abstract has untethered our politics from people’s lives.

It will doubtless relieve many of you to know that Labour has quietly set up its constitutional commission, touted last year by leader Keir Starmer as the union’s saviour. Early in February Labour’s city mayors and a combined authority met with former prime minister Gordon Brown, beginning the exciting proceedings.

Amid the usual bromides about political disquiet, one comment by Sheffield mayor Dan Jarvis was striking. “People in England need and deserve a better democracy as much as people in any other part of the country,” he said, calling for “the devolution we need to take back control”, presumably with a wink.