Politically correct? Yes, and proud of it

A living language is a battleground, and every now and again a phrase is fought over with the kind of ferocity that turned the fields of Flanders to a sea of mud. The phrase of the moment is political correctness. Popularised by the liberal left as a device of gentle self-mockery, it has now been seized by the right as a blunt weapon of populist resentment.

It has been the chief instrument of the Daily Mail's ugly campaign against the National Lottery Community Fund. The fund stands accused of handing out public money to "politically correct" causes such as the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns at the expense of "politically incorrect" ones such as charities for war veterans. (One result of this campaign has been a spate of hate mail from the Daily Mail's "wonderful readers" to Lady Brittan, the fund's chairwoman.)

The war has been one-sided so far. Because liberals never used the phrase seriously, they have been slow to take its theft seriously. But it is time to make a stand for political correctness. It is, after all, defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "conforming to a body of liberal or radical opinion, esp. on social matters, characterised by the advocacy of approved causes or views, and often by the rejection of language, behaviour, etc, considered discriminatory or offensive". We do not know about advocating "approved" views, but The Independent is certainly keen to avoid language that large numbers of people find offensive. That is mere politeness. But what of the substance of the Mail's complaints?

We have no problem with – to take the examples given in yesterday's Mail – grants to marginalised groups such as deaf homosexuals in Birmingham, or for play facilities for the children of travellers in Belfast, or for women's groups in Nigeria, Uganda and Ethiopia. And more public money should go to these causes than to the relatively well-funded charities for old soldiers. If being politically correct means fighting prejudice and discrimination, this newspaper is proud to be PC.