Labour's language doesn't make sense

THE Labour government seems to be on a mission to render political language almost meaningless. Sir Keir Starmer and his ministers continually make statements that are directly contradicted by their own policies.

This is more than deceit or hypocrisy. It could be described as verbal surrealism. So Sir Keir promises that his government will "tread more lightly on our lives", while he unleashes a deluge of new bans, regulations interventions and official His Chancellor Rachel Reeves also frequently resorts to this kind of double-speak, where her actions are the opposite of her stated intentions. "Labour will always protect pensioners," she said shortly before axing the winter fuel allowance.

She trumpets "wealth creation" as one of her top priorities, then strangles enterprise by imposing a brutal hike in employers' national insurance.

She was at it again this week, posing as the champion of fiscal rectitude while presiding over a record-breaking expansion of the state.

As she launched a major review of governmental expenditure, which will theoretically require all departments to make 5% efficiency savings, she promised to "take an iron fist against waste".