Here's a thing, though, why stop John Park talking about apprenticeships and move him into a mute role? Might it be that the Labour Government in London will be cutting apprenticeship funding in the budget and so John has to be silenced well in advance in the hope that no-one will remember he made a big thing of it?
From the Observer:
Gordon Brown stands accused today of misleading the public over his much-vaunted plans to help young people through the recession. Leaked documents show the government is planning drastic cuts for its flagship plan to train a new generation of apprentices.
Confidential papers obtained by The Observer show that, while Brown and his ministers have suggested they are raising investment in training, skills and apprenticeships, behind the scenes they are preparing some £350m of cuts for 2010-11 that will slash the number of training places on offer by hundreds of thousands.
It's just as well I'm incredibly modest.
Talking about modesty, I have been chastised for saying that Michael Martin's house and erstwhile constituency office is in Glasgow. It seems that this particular building is in Jo Swinson's constituency and in a different council area to boot. Ach well, sic transit gloria.
Mind how you go!
4 comments:
Ah Calum, you've beaten to me it this morning.
At the time I said it was all bluff and bluster the business of apprenticeships. In fact, I think I said they weren't apprenticeships but training courses. Big difference.
I won't say you're smart. Auch yes I will. :)
Fair point. You'd look even better if you didn't use words which don't exist - "thusly"? "In-this-way-ly"? :)
You're right, SR, in everything you say! Modern apprenticeships appear to have covered nearly everything that used to be done by on-the-job training - floristry, for example. It was a scam on Labour's part to appeal to the core vote they had left behind so readily in pursuit of power. And I am, of course, very smart. At least I think that's what they mean ...
BOT, I must disagree! Thusly is a fine old word, first recorded around 1860. You'll find it in a good dictionary of English usage like Websters. It, rather than 'thus' should be used when it follows the verb it modifies or when it immediately precedes a passage set off by a colon. It's more often used by our friends across the Atlantic. In fact, it seems to be used almost entirely in humorous mode here these days - the manner in which I employed it.
Anyway, language moves on and there's nothing wrong with neologisms, I think.
CC
Hmm, interesting point. I once used it in an English essay at university and my tutor took the piss. Never used it since. But evidently I'm going to have to check my dictionary!
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