Mind your language
Sir: I laughed out loud with pleasure on reading Matthew Parris's article on clichés. (`Another voice', 31 October).
My pet hate amongst all the clichés is Labour's pompously arrogant 'We won't take lectures from the Conservatives after the way they behaved etc. etc.'. I normally yell with fury at my television set, saying, `All right, we did make mistakes, but we paid for them by losing power. Isn't that enough?'
Matthew, we may not need a Cliché Czar or even another NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty from Clichés), but we do need to disinter Sam Goldwyn.
Many years ago Sam was told by film crit- ics that his movies were full of old clichés. The great man was very upset and called his scriptwriters and directors together to tell them the story. He said, 'Gentlemen, enough of the old clichés. Give me some new clichés.'
So far New Labour has only given us old clichés, so, say it again, Sam.
Basil Feldman
House of Lords, London SW1
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