Afternoon:
15°c
VIDEO: David Cameron shocks radio listeners with Twitter 'twat' joke
Joe Murphy, Political Editor29 Jul 2009
David Cameron shocked radio listeners today with the word "twat" - but claimed it wasn't a swear word.
The Tory leader turned the airwaves blue with a joke about the social website Twitter. "The trouble with Twitter, the instantness of it - too many twits might make a twat," he said.
He also used the phrase "pissed off", for which he quickly apologised.
Asked about the Commons expenses scandals, he said: "The public are rightly, I think, pissed off - sorry I can't say that in the morning - angry with politicians."
Eton-educated Mr Cameron is renowned for having impeccable manners though he does swear in private. But interviewed on Absolute Radio, which has a youth audience, he dropped his guard. In the studio the Tory leader's Twitter joke was a hit that produced gusts of laughter. Host Christian O'Connell exclaimed: "Brilliantly put, I think that's fantastic."
Mr Cameron had been asked if he was a user of the website, recently taken up by No 10, which sends short messages to followers.
Ironically, he said the reason he did not was the need to avoid gaffes: "Politicians have to think about what we say."
Earlier he revealed that his wife Samantha was a listener to the station and joked that he would have to be careful not to make mistakes.
At first a Tory spokesman said, inaccurately, that "twat" was not classed as a swear word under radio guidelines. Mr Cameron's spokeswoman then made a full apology and said the T-word had been a mistake.
"David Cameron does not condone the use of bad language," she said. "It was a genuine slip up and he meant no offence." A Tory source suggested Mr Cameron did not realise that the word is usually considered highly offensive, particularly to women. "I think it is a generational thing," said the source.
Some Tory MPs were unimpressed. One compared his bad language to Tony Blair adopting estuary English and dropping glottal stops on TV "to boost his street cred".
Radio presenter O'Connell praised Mr Cameron for "trying to engage people about politics" and said the overwhelming reaction from listeners had been positive.
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said studies had shown that "twat" was considered "offensive language" by the public but it was not classed with the "most offensive" words.
Truly an olde English insult
As an expletive, “twat” has become so misunderstood that many — clearly including David Cameron — may be unaware of its rather more vulgar origins.
Possibly originating from an old Norse word for a cut, or forest clearing, it is primarily a vulgar synonym for a vulva or vagina. It is one of the oldest swearwords in the English language. Tony Thorne, an expert on slang and swearing, said Mr Cameron may have confused the word with the more innocuous “twit”.
He added: “Twat is quite a harsh, dismissive word which still packs a punch as an insult, particularly in the North. Many wrongly think it relates to twit, which derives from a Middle-English word denoting someone who deserves to be mocked or teased. Cameron probably didn't realise the leap he was making.” Mr Thorne said “twatted” was used by young people to denote being drunk. The word is a modern insult in the phrase “Shoreditch Twat”, describing a fashionable young person in that part of east London, as epitomised by the Channel 4 comedy series Nathan Barley.
Reader views (21)
Get a life. He's just amusing, and there's nothing wrong with that.
- Jo Green, Halesowen, 23/09/2009 21:46
Report abuse
Shows that Cameron is far more in touch with the British public than those currently in charge, at least he calls it as it is. His honesty on spending cuts and comments that immigration has been damaging to the UK and needs to be dramatically reduced also show he is far more in tune with public opinion than Labour ever will be.
- Daniel, Liverpool UK, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Guess that's the Tories out of the running for my next vote - leaves me a choice of UKIP or the Greens.
- Jock, London, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Cameron knows exactly what it means and exactly how unoffensive it is as a word to his target audience.
- Dr Whooligan,, London, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Why all the fuss? The man is human and I wasn't offended by it. Incidentally, I am over 70 and know all about the origin of the word. Instead of carping about a slip of the tongue, why don't the media concentrate on the serious mistakes made by the Govt. Anne.
- Anne, Leyburn England, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
I suspect Cameron may not in fact have known the exact meaning of twat and if so did not realise he might be offending some of the usual suspects who don't like him anyway.
The problem is he can't really admit that he didn't know the meaning of the word as it will damage his cred.
A bit of a Catch 22 situation.
- Stephen C, London, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
I don't think the Tories all fully understood what a serious player they were getting when they took this man on.
Many seemed to believe that they had a media friendly Blair equivalant and were more than happy with that, especially after what had gone before. I think they have much more, a real contender who is media savy, no doubt about it, but who can also grasp the big issues and get them across. He can also be every bit as hard as he needs to be. He batters Brown at the dispatch box time after time after time - its cruel to listen to.
Tories to win next time up - I bet the bookies will stop taking bets soon.
- Simon Rouse, Shropshire, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Of course, prior to 1066, twat, along with so many other, often onomatopoeic, four letter words would have never created such a twitter.
Do you suppose it'll take another thousand years to temper the necessity of deriding an entire defeated people by denigrating their language?
Being Anglo Saxon, I can't help but take offense at such intolerance.
- Skip Waterhouse, la pointe, wi. USA, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Re. David Cameron's reported "gaffe" on radio. For goodness sake! At last we have a politician who is able to speak without a script and uses everyday English - albeit Anglo Saxon English. What's wrong with that? We all understand it and it isn't vulgar. Listen to BBC TV if you wish to hear much worse. Too much PC hypocrisy in this country. Lay off.
- Derek Pitman (Use Derekp), Filey, North Yorkshire, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Oh please! Get a life! What nonsense. What about the obsceneties -literal and figurative - coming from our esteemed governement on a daily basis......
- Arabella, Clapton, Glos, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
He knows exactly how to manipulate the Great British Public into thinking he's ' one of us '
- Pala, oldbury , west midlands, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Spot on Dave.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
brill!! part of the 'twatter' mythology used by serfs like moi on 'twitter' - yup brill.
- William, Hay~Heath UK, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
This vaccuous old etonian tory twit.
Is he the best they could come up with?
Britain needs an inspired and inspiring leader.
When we ponder why Brown is still there, this poor fish is part of the answer.
- Gh, Lara, Australia, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Come off it, Mr Cameron. You know exactly what it means, you haven´t lead that much of a sheltered life.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Well said, my sentiments entirely regarding Twitter.
- Claire Elizabeth, London, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Slipped up on a youth focussed show.....? Was funny though. What are the odds that no personality Brown would be that amusing or engaging?
- Mark, London, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Dear Joe Murphy, Political Editor,
Absolute (Virgin) Radio is NOT a yoof radio station, it is mainly listened to by 30-40 somethings and above.
Joe, do you actually listen to the radio, because if you did you would realise this station plays the sort of music you may actually enjoy, instead of the Radio 1, Capital etc mix.
As for Dave Cameron, at last we have someone relaxed enough to speak their minds, truthfully or not.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Nice one, Dave, shows the world that you're human.
- Ted, London, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Does Cameron really know what a twat is? I doubt it very much.
Think his popularity with Joe Public is going to his head and I would blame Coulson. LOL.
- Mark V, hampton, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
Oh oh, a politician saying what he thinks! Whatever next? Gordon Brown admiting he messed up? Doubtful.
- Alan, carlisle uk, 23/09/2009 20:46
Report abuse
