POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

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Swindon Borough Council told an author that his book, honouring First World War soldiers, cannot be stocked by his local library unless he takes out insurance worth £5million. Officials said Mark Sutton needed the accident cover in case the public injured themselves on his book, for example, if it fell on their foot or they got paper cuts. The book was withdrawn from the Tourist Information Centre in Swindon until Mr Sutton pays the £150 insurance premium.

Mr Sutton, who has sold 1,000 copies of the £12.99 book since it went on sale, said, "I refuse to get the insurance. It's just another one of these silly Health and Safety measures and it has gone potty. You couldn't make it up. It's ridiculous. I didn't write the book for money, it's for the memory of the men who died and gave everything for us. I wonder what they would think if they were here to see their names couldn't be preserved just because people want to be greedy."

Mr Sutton spent three years researching the 300-page book, "Tell Them Of Us", which is available in a number of outlets and also through Internet bookstores but Swindon Borough Council said he must take out public liability insurance to continue selling it at the town's Tourist Information Centre. Officials claim regulations require all providers of any council services to have valid insurance, or the authority could be found liable and sued if an accident occurs.

Council spokesman Richard Freeman said the insurance was to protect against potential legal claims caused by defective products. He acknowledged that the risk of injury was small in Mr Sutton's case, but said it was standard insurance industry practice, and all council suppliers must have cover from April 1. He said, "The problem here is not with the council but with a society that is becoming obsessed with litigation. We have to cover for every eventuality, even if that is an accident caused by pages falling out of the book. Nobody is denying its a very small risk, but the risk is there."

He added, "The cover we require is normally for £5million but we are prepared to reduce this to £2million for smaller suppliers including Mr Sutton. The high number of claims made against organisations these days means no one offering any products or services for sale can afford to be without public liability insurance. Premiums are usually based on turnover and the level of risk, and can be as little as £150." (Source: Mail on Sunday, Feb/07)

Council bosses who put up road signs in Polish to help immigrant drivers had to remove them after twice breaching traffic regulations. The Department for Transport confirmed that the notices were unlawful. Engineers at Cheshire County Council failed to seek the special dispensation required to put up signs in a foreign language. They are also illegally displaying at least one with directions in metres when imperial measurements are only permitted. (Source: Daily Express, Feb/07)

Headmaster Nicholas Wollaston has introduced PC versions of festive songs for this years school party. He is insisting on a reggae-themed Twelve Days of Christmas with the line “Partridge In A Pear Tree” changed to “Cornbird In A Palm Tree”. Instead of “Twelve Lords A-Leaping” or “Ten Pipers Piping”, kids will sing about “Six Limbo Dancers” and “Seven Steel Band Beaters”. Other changes include a ruling that Christmas classic Away In A Manger will not be sung but performed in sign language and Rocking Around The Christmas Tree becomes Rocking Around The Shops.

One parent said, “I have no problem with the kids learning about other cultures, but now it is Christmas. To turn it into some sort of politically correct function with a Caribbean flavour is just not on. This is Britain and we want a traditional British Christmas for our kids.” However, deputy head Elizabeth Brailsford claimed that putting on nativity plays disrupted the school’s curriculum and adversely affected children’s behaviour. She added, “If anything, this is even more traditional than any other year. We’re going to have poems, Christmas carols and Bible readings.” (Source: The Sun, Dec/06)

Office Christmas parties face the axe after the Government's industrial relations watchdog warned bosses they face being sued for a raft of "politically correct" misdemeanours. In an advice pamphlet, Acas told firms they have a "duty of care" to drunken staff and could face crippling legal action if they do not get home safely. Managers were also told age discrimination laws could be breached if the music and entertainment caters only for younger staff, and holding a raffle or giving out alcoholic prizes could offend Muslims.

Any member of staff who suffers "verbal abuse" for being gay could also sue, even if it takes place in the pub before the office party. And Acas added a "proper risk assessment" must be carried out before any decorations are put up, particularly if they could be fire hazards. Staff were cleared to display trees, tinsel and lights, but only because they are "secular" and "not inherently religious". This, the advice note says, makes it "difficult to argue that they cause offence to non-Christians".

Possible pitfalls include age discrimination laws, a raft of health and safety legislation and the Protection from Harassment Act. Damages could run to hundreds of thousands of pounds, enough to cripple a small business. Acas's warning said managers would be in "hot water" if drunken staff do not get home safely. This is because they have a "duty of care", under various health and safety laws, to all employees.

Scenarios could include stumbling out of the party drunk and falling over in the street, or getting knocked down. They could also be liable if a worker injures himself driving home while drunk. Factors which would make a firm more liable to action would include senior managers being present at the party, and an unlimited supply of free alcohol. Staff could also sue if they fall while on the premises where the party was being held.

Acas said that, by following its advice, employers could argue they had all reasonable steps to protect their staff from harm. These included providing plenty of food and soft drink, the number of taxi companies in the area and ensuring the event finishes while public transport is still running. To avoid age discrimination claims, firms are told to "ensure there is a mix of music and that any organised entertainment takes account of all ages". (Source: Mail on Sunday, Nov/06)

A council has banned the phrase "singing from the same hymn sheet" in case it upsets atheists. Salisbury council has told employees that the religious connotations of the saying could offend non-believers. Officials have also been told not to use the phrase 'colour blind' but instead to refer to 'colour visual impairment'. The advice from Salisbury council says, "Avoid office and council jargon wherever possible, including phrases such as 'moving forward' and 'singing from the same hymn sheet'. Say what you mean, so instead of 'moving forward' try 'in the future'. Not everyone understand these phrases, some can actually cause offence (what would an atheist want with your hymn sheet?)." (Source: Ananova, Nov/08)