Blair-speak
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Blair-speak;Adj.
Advanced form of double-talk pioneered by British Prime Minister Antony Blair. The easiest way to explain it is to give an example:- "Our economic policy is based on firm economic predictions made at the start of this term which are under constant review." Firm but under constant review?
The goal of Blair-speak is to appear all things to all people by always saying something that will please someone in the audiance even if it contradicts something you've just said, the trick is that people tend to remember only the bits they like.
The term Blair-speak is sometimes used to describe the strange manner in which Blair talks eg "This is not a time for soundbites, but you know I feel the hand of history on my shoulder...". He uses extraordinary long pauses between sentences this may be to help news editors or it may just be that he naturally talks in soundbites.
To learn to talk Blair-speak all you have to do is follow my easy step by step guide:-
1. say something blindingly obvious eg. 'Im not exempt from gravity'
2. say something personal eg. 'Nor is my family'
3. say "but..."
4. say something that pleases the left of the audiance eg. 'you know we are all equal on this matter'
5. say something that pleases the right eg.'everyone has the right to fly if they work hard enough'
6. say something.
7. Blame the conservatives.
Advanced form of double-talk pioneered by British Prime Minister Antony Blair. The easiest way to explain it is to give an example:- "Our economic policy is based on firm economic predictions made at the start of this term which are under constant review." Firm but under constant review?
The goal of Blair-speak is to appear all things to all people by always saying something that will please someone in the audiance even if it contradicts something you've just said, the trick is that people tend to remember only the bits they like.
The term Blair-speak is sometimes used to describe the strange manner in which Blair talks eg "This is not a time for soundbites, but you know I feel the hand of history on my shoulder...". He uses extraordinary long pauses between sentences this may be to help news editors or it may just be that he naturally talks in soundbites.
To learn to talk Blair-speak all you have to do is follow my easy step by step guide:-
1. say something blindingly obvious eg. 'Im not exempt from gravity'
2. say something personal eg. 'Nor is my family'
3. say "but..."
4. say something that pleases the left of the audiance eg. 'you know we are all equal on this matter'
5. say something that pleases the right eg.'everyone has the right to fly if they work hard enough'
6. say something.
7. Blame the conservatives.
