Two-faced bath-tub double-speak

John Prescott on the campaign trail

GNU LABOUR

It's easy to make fun of New Labour-speak. So, let's do it.

John Prescott visited the Millennium Groan yesterday. He said it was "never a white elephant". I suppose it takes a white elephant to know one. (Prescott was, incidentally, described by a correspondent to BBC London as a "two-faced bath-tub".)

Prescott went on to say: "It [the Dome] did not cost the public money. It came from the Lottery." Hmm, smart work, John. Where did the Lottery money come from? Did you find it under a bush? (No pun intended, sorry.)

Apparently the building is to be renamed 'The O2'. Which is short and catchy, and much easier to remember than 'The BT Cellnet'. Reports that Earl's Court Exhibition Centre is to be renamed 'The Orange' have not been confirmed.

"We have decontaminated the land," announced Prescott. Presumably just after he had left the site.