Foolish language

In the wise words of Stanley Baldwin, it is best for politicians to stay away from the hearthplace. Whatever the desirability of a politician's pet scheme, it should avoid interfering in people's private lives and dictating how they should behave in their own living rooms. Only totalitarian regimes do that. That may be too grave a charge to make about David Blunkett, but the Home Secretary's attempt to tell people which language to should speak at home is all too typical of the sort of extreme moral authoritarianism that he has made his own.

Mr Blunkett is a courageous and admirable politician in so many ways. Unfortunately, his reputation is sinking with a series of rather silly soundbites, of which this is just the latest example. He will soon rank alongside the likes of David Waddington and Jack Straw as one of the most reactionary occupants of his office in modern times; sadly, he will probably take this a compliment.