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You can't call that yob a yob, Met chief tells police
Last updated at 23:07pm on 01.10.06
Sir Ian Blair used the term 'yob' when he made a high-profile speech on BBC1 last November
Police are to be banned from using the word 'yob' in case they offend delinquents, it has emerged.
Scotland Yard chiefs have told staff to find a more polite way of referring to troublemakers.
The extraordinary edict - described by critics as 'pathetic' - has the backing of Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, often referred to as Britain's most politically-correct policeman.
It applies to all reports submitted by officers to the Metropolitan Police Authority, which oversees the running of the capital's force.
The ban was imposed after the word 'yobs' cropped up in a report presented to members of the authority last week.
The document on Safer Neighbourhoods by Chief Superintendent Steve Bloomfield stated that Scotland Yard was "proactively tackling gangs and yobs across London".
Objecting to the phrase, Cindy Butts, the police authority's deputy chairman, told Sir Ian that the term was 'alienating'.
She added: "I have a problem with the language of 'yobs'. It sort of sets up and defines too much a 'self' and 'other'."
Assistant Commissioner Tim Godwin agreed, saying: "I'm sorry about that. We won't use that again."
Afterwards Mr Godwin confirmed that the use of 'yobs' would not be repeated in Met documentation and was now officially banned.
He claimed the word could be taken as a slur on groups of lawabiding youngsters.
"It can reflect on groups of youths who congregate, rather than those who carry out criminal activity," he said. "We have to be careful because of the need to engage with young people."
Senior Met sources called the decision 'pathetic', pointing out that Sir Ian used the term himself when he broadcast on BBC1 last November.
Giving the BBC's annual Dimbleby lecture Sir Ian said: "Society is demanding answers and actions to deal with feral children, hoodies and yobs."
Richard Barnes, a Tory member of the Met police authority, hit out at the initiative.
He said: "We have to use words which are in common parlance, as long as they are not insulting.
"When we hear the word 'yobs' we all know what we're talking about."
Politicians are unlikely to follow the Met's lead in extending the boundaries of politically correctness-MPs on all sides frequently use the term 'yob', including Tony Blair who referred to yobs in the Commons in 2004.
The word is thought to have originated in mid-19th century London as a slang term for an uncouth blue collar individual or thug.
It derives from a back-slang reading of the word 'boy'. It was reversed to become 'yob'.
As the word spread into more general English usage, it was often extended to 'yobbo' and is now defined as a 'teenage hooligan or lout'.
Reader views (18)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
The only people we should feel sorry for are the cops on the street who are let down by senior officers who are even more obsessed with projecting a PC image than the other Blair and his cronies.
Yob isn't racist, sexist, religionist or any other 'ist' so for once we have term that can be employed without invoking the wrath of any law abiding minority - but now the cops can't use it even if the man on the street can!
But what do you expect in a legal backdrop where the perpetrator often has more rights than the victim. Pathetic.
- Ian Porter, Heathfield, Sussex
I bet Sir Ian lives in a nice quiet enclave and is well protected by police and not bothered with threatening behaviour everytime he goes out otherwise he too would be calling them yobs and scumbags. What hope has the poor copper on the street in dealing with these people when the top brass is so out of touch?
- Mitch, London
So Sir Ian
Next time (probably tomorrow) when someone is shot, I wait to see how you will describe the death. Externally inflicted Lead poisoning?
Loss of blood due to carelessly walking into a projectile? Or some simliar nonsense. Really, coppers' reports today must read like gobbldeygook.
- George, Istanbul
Sir Iain has finally confirmed in my mind why he is not fit for public office.
- Alexis Dogilewski, London
My husband is a Met police officer and is not allowed to call people whom he arrests and locks in a cell "prisoners". They have to be called "clients". Says it all really, doesn't it!
- Lynda Cassidy, London
Dear Ms Butts,
I promise not to call them yobs, providing, of course that they say `please' and `thank you' after mugging or knocking the hell out of me.
- Ted Knight, Shetland
These fools should be demoted immediately back to the beat in North London to see how they feel then about yobs. The same day a 32 year old father of two is stabbed to death by 15 and 17 year old outside his own house these PC riddled dolts trot this nonsense out.
- Squiz, Islington
Yob is obviously the spot on right word to describe human debris. It has a beautiful ENGLISH tone about it that relfects the derogatory activities of the recipient, and more to the point it offends them
- Frank, Wolverhampton, England
How readily everyone is to jump on this as political correctness gone mad. Are we all really thinking for ourselves on this issue or subserviently adopting opinions from the media?
"When we hear the word 'yobs' we all know what we're talking about." says Richard Barnes. Yes, we're talking about grouping people into a stereotype without full posession of the facts. If the same principals were applied to race, it would be racist. Why is it acceptable to alienate another tranche of society and further re-enforce civic divisions?
- Liam, London, UK
Growing up in Manchester during the 50s and 60s most of our local coppers were ex military and as tough as nails. You did not mess with them and they were quite good to the kids around my area. We knew they were there to keep law and order and if you kept your nose clean they never bothered you. Watching some of the police programmes were the criminals are caught and convicted makes me laugh. They speak to the police in such a way that we would never have dared to even in our wildest of dreams. Again we have spineless people in charge trying score brownie points with the middle class numb nuts, which at present seem to be ruling the roost. After all burglars are on the same skill level as doctors aren’t they.
- Stephen Durr, England
These people get paid to prevent crime,not to argue about words. The word "yob"is understood by all citizens including those it refers to. Please can we get someone in authority who will concentrate on doing their job,its like something out of Monty Pythons Life of Brian.
- Ken, Eltham
This is political correctness gone mad! Another example of our bobbies being undermined in their job. We should have a return to some of the no-nonsense approach of policing in the 60's and 70's - those old-fashioned coppers could get on with the job and call a spade a spade.
- Keith, London
This kind of over the top politically correct reaction is exactly the reason why yobs feel free to roam the streets without fear of any repercussion.
- Howard, Abu Dhbai UAE
The Oxford Concise Dictionary describes 'yobs' as being louts or thugs. Maybe we shouldn't use the words 'thug' or 'lout' either.
I think 'naughty person' might describe the drug dealing, aggressive, feral anti-social and uneducated scumbags that breed on our streets and have the audacity to believe that society owes them and not the other way around.
Scotland Yard and the Met Police Authority would do well to focus onerstwhile criminal activities instead of futile political correctness which is undermining the fundamental fabric of the Country I grew up in and which our forefathers fought for.
Bring back conscription.
- Rod, UK
A yob is a yob is a yob: some lout with no regard for others. Kids standing around on street corners, although doing nothing illegal, are still yobs, because their prescence is seen as threatening. Most of these 'gangs' do it deliberately to intimidate passersby.
- Dhanraj, Basildon, Essex
If the use of the word 'Yob' is good enough for Bliar, it's surely good enough for his stooge Blair?
Poor ickle diddums, mustn't hurt his feelings, must we...?
Pathetic.
- Mark, UK
If they wish to stop being called 'yobs' maybe they should stop behaving like them. I mean excuse my law-abiding tax-paying sensibilities but isn't it the job of the police to offend delinquents, from my experience they seem to have no issues offending the police, and to be honest, generally offending...
PC culture is going into overdrive again, what most of these 'yobs' need is discipline, but what are we giving them? Free bloody Reign by the sound of it.
- Neil, Notting Hill
How much longer are decent law abiding people going to put up with this politically correct (there's an oxymoron if ever I saw one!) nonsense?
- Craig, London, England
