'Ladies and Gentlemen' is offensive and should be avoided, new training advice claims
The term "Ladies and Gentlemen" is offensive and should be avoided, planning inspectors across England and Wales have been told.Workers handling appeals across the country have received new guidance instructing them to abandon the traditional greeting in favour of addressing attendees as "everyone" to promote inclusivity.The training handbook, issued by the Planning Inspectorate government agency, also encourages officials to enquire about individuals' preferred titles and pronouns.The document, revealed to The Telegraph through a Freedom of Information request, recommends adopting the gender-neutral pronoun "they" when referring to individuals in decision letters and reports.According to the guidance, this approach could minimise both the potential for data breaches and the risk of causing offence.Inspectors are additionally advised to state at public events how they themselves prefer to be addressed, whether as "Sir", "Madam" or by their preferred name preceded by "Inspector".The guidance has attracted sharp criticism, with some branding the advice "appalling" and "pathetic wokeism".Lord Young, who established the Free Speech Union, challenged the proportionality of the recommendations.According to the guidance, scrapping the term could minimise the risk of causing offence | GETTY"Given that trans and non-binary people make up less than 0.4 per cent of the population, it seems a tad over-sensitive to ban saying something that might offend a few of them," Lord Young stated.He went further with a rhetorical comparison, asking: "I dare say there are some people out there who identify as Napoleon."Is the Planning Inspectorate going to worry about offending them too?"Sean Woodward, who formerly led Fareham borough council in Hampshire as a Conservative, condemned the new recommendations.One critic branded the advice 'pathetic wokeism' | GETTY"It's absolutely pathetic Labour wokeism," Mr Woodward said."It's appalling. There are more important things to think about. It's a polite way to address people."Planning inspectors operate as neutral expert adjudicators who frequently convene hearings or inquiries that members of the public may attend, making their forms of address a matter of practical significance.The advice comes just months after a football association claimed the term "come on lads" could be considered offensive and should be avoided by players.Berks and Bucks FA instead suggested in its inclusive language guide published this week that gender neutral phrases like "come on team" should be used.It advised players to "avoid gendered language and assumptions".The association also discouraged saying "linesman", advising that "assistant referee" was a more "modern, inclusive term".The guide added that the word "guys" should be avoided in team warm-up chats, instead recommending that "everyone" is said instead.An introduction to the guide reads: "Language sets the tone."It shows whether someone belongs or feels excluded, whether they stay in the game or walk away.”Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense group of Conservative MPs said at the time: "At best, this is daft. At worst this is sinister.""The association should get on with helping clubs to do the best they can for all those who want to be involved in football to have their chance regardless of where they start."
‘Book of woke!’ Martin Daubney holds aloft 900-page human rights manual written by Keir Starmer and ‘used to undermine British law’
‘Book of woke!’ Martin Daubney holds aloft 900-page human rights manual written by Keir Starmer and ‘used to undermine British law’
