Worst (political) jargon of the week: Cut through
At City PM, we’ve long been fighting the evil misuse of language. But to mark election season, we’ve decided to venture out of the comfort of corporatopia and into the political wilderness.
After all, if there’s anything we know about politicians, it’s that they’d rather say anything than what they actually mean. This week: cut through.
What does it mean?
The phrase describes the smattering of public attention that is occasionally afforded to a politician or party – this being despite voters’ best efforts and intentions (to blanket ignore the promises, pledges and platitudes hurled at them by any and all politicos as well as their equally nefarious cronies).
Who uses it?
Three types of people:
- prospective MPs with an Apprentice-level of arrogance
- their nervous, anaemic political staffers
- us: the giddy-for-a-story hacks
Let’s paint the picture. MPs-in-the-running are seeking ‘cut through’ stories with ever-increasing voracity. Hurling promises, pledges and platitudes at any member of the media with a spare minute can be a thankless task – especially when you know most people out there couldn’t give a monkey’s and party pressure is mounting.
So, when said MP finally scores a minor piece of coverage in a local newspaper about your 30-minute trip to inspect a sewage spill, the hopes-to-be-an-honourable-member rejoices. Cut through, they think, beaming, and relishing the phrase as they hammer it home to the party elders. This is politics! Fist in the air, clutching for a knife. And I’m winning! Oh, to pierce the Westminster bubble and converse directly with a floating voter!
Joining in the celebration are said candidate’s anxious, toadying PAs. And on the other side, journos headily debate the next cut through issue – crime? The price of a pint? A party leader’s jenga match? The knife can’t slice through it all…
Could be confused with…
- A threat (cut throat)
- A tranche of quiche
Should we be worried?
The term is alarmingly aggressive and implies that politicians would pick up sharp metal blades and gesticulate with them in an attempt to secure influence. Not incredible. It’s this sort of violent language that leads to politicians getting shakes chucked on them.
Political ick rating: 8/10
Put the knife down, people. Let’s make politics safe again.