The s-word

I've rather given up on Newsnight, but it's a definite sign of where they are at that they held a discussion on the use of the word 'slut' (after Telegraph columnist Bryony Gordon told the world that Tory minister Michael Fallon had used it about her) and chose to invite Godfrey Bloom to take part, along with the Telegraph's Rowan Pelling.

Though Mr Bloom has had the UKIP whip withdrawn, it's not hard to imagine that Ian Katz & Co. thought it would be a great wheeze to get him to make some more outrageous statements and embarrass the party once again (if only now by association)...

"Up here in the north of England...I'm speaking to you from Hull...nobody up here accepts that [the word 'slut'] has any sexual connotation at all...And maybe the south of England uses it in a different way."

Though Kirsty Wark had a face like thunder (especially when introducing the package), Rowan Pelling gave Godfrey a very sympathetic hearing, laughing at many of his comments (especially when he called her, "my dear") and conceding several of his points (such as how her own family would use the word to mean 'slovenly' or 'untidy'). She also gave him the benefit of the doubt over his own (career-wrecking) use of the word. (Godfrey should have hired her as his media advisor long ago).

Still, the Twitterati went mad - and if the Twitterati go mad, I suspect Ian Katz goes to bed happy.