Nottingham City Council, run by Labour, has instructed its staff to avoid certain words and phrases over concerns they may cause offence. The authority's Addressing Stigma Language Guide says it is "crucial for the language we use to be positive, empowering and free from negative connotations".
Person-first alternatives
Instead of "asylum seeker", employees are encouraged to use "person seeking asylum", which the guide describes as a "person-first" alternative. The term "alcoholic" should be replaced with "person who drinks alcohol problematically" or "person who is dependent on alcohol".
The eight-page document also advises against the word "elderly", suggesting "older person/people" instead. Staff are told to avoid "frail" and opt for "person at high risk of adverse outcomes, admission to hospital or the need for long-term care".
Political backlash
Conservative MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke criticised the guidance. He told The Sun: "This is typical of left-wing local politicians, trying to pretend that all their problems can be solved with words."
He added: "Trying to change the language does nothing to hide anything — the public still know it's happening, and they know that these people are asylum seekers. These types of people ought to be trying to fix problems in their areas, rather than messing about with words."
Transgender terminology
The guide also encourages staff to say a transgender person has had a "gender affirming/confirmation surgery", rather than the term "sex change".
The document states: "Using person-first language acknowledges that a person is not defined by their condition. It is a characteristic that they have, not something that they are." Express.co.uk has approached Nottingham City Council for comment.
