Letter: How not to call people names

CALLING joyriders 'scum drivers' may minimise admiration from their peer groups and give satisfaction to the victimised.

Seeing new nouns or cliches eliminated gives me a better perspective on the standing of, say, the IRA. Once the BBC used to irritate me by referring to claims by 'IRA Brigade Headquarters'.

We should follow the German press which uses 'gang leaders' instead of 'warlords'. The latter smacks of over-muscled heroes in Hollywood fantasy films and must delight those so described.

Michael Sargent

Sale, Cheshire