Lately there has been a lot of news shows about British politicians. Interviews and such. Most of the commentators in BBC speak flawless English, as do the leaders of the major parties. And all of the PM’s that I have listened to in recent memory. As does the Queen and all the recorded speeches of Churchill and so on.

I like to listen to them speak English it has a more lyrical quality than I was used to hearing in the states.

However the pub English I hear at the local Thai Brit pub’s is quite different.

Has there ever been a PM who spoke in another dialect, like cockney? Is it a requirement for high office to speak English in a certain way.

Can politicians turn accents on and off. Like American politicians do when confronted with audiences of a particular ethnic group or location?

They take class distinction fairly seriously in Blighty. In Oz, we had a PM (Bob Hawke) who was a Rhodes scholar, but his political and trades union associations assured that he never developed a plum in his mouth... Indeed, during the time he was studying at Oxford, he achieved a world record for drinking a yard of ale in eleven seconds. With the dialect of a commoner, I find it hard to imagine that he could have achieved the office of PM if he were running in UK elections. As a comparative example, can any British BMs envisage a cockney-speaking PM?

major had a slight 'Lundun' accent

and red ken had a very strong lundun/esturaine accent

So, what are you saying, Vlad?

I aint sayin nuffin, innit!

I yoost ta werk rannd the M25 fer 4 yeeahs wif all de lundun akscents - nowff anne saaff . dessint peapol like.

Good question, Mark. I believe it all has to do with perception. Eloquent speakers tend to gather more votes. Politicians are taught to speak without actually saying anything they can be held accountable for. I think it is called "bafflegab". When you can learn to speak bafflegab eloquently, then you can become a good politician. We had a prime minister in Canada who was not interested in running the country, but he was a fabulous speaker with a sharp wit, and he became a good diplomat when he left office. His name was Pierre Elliot Trudeau. The ladies all loved him and he had many affairs with well known women.

I aint sayin nuffin, innit!

I yoost ta werk rannd the M25 fer 4 yeeahs wif all de lundun akscents - nowff anne saaff . dessint peapol like.

Das ist funny cos I used to work in building sites in London and only heard one English speaker.......... ME!

Harold Wilson wasn't 'posh', but it was difficult to understand what he was saying - with that godawful pipe forever stuck in his gob!

When I went to London, 1956, I could hardly unnastand anyone.

Arriving back in OZ 2 years later,,,,,,,

"Hey, mate, you a pom?"

Ppl still say I have an accent that is NOT Kiwi.

Even my bride to be says that I speak differently.

Gordonbrown is Scottish, John Major was working class & not posh. Personally I think you do assume too much.

As for Brits taking the class divide seriously......umm, ever lived here or even recently.? Clearly know nowt about it but carry on with the assumptions, they are amusing to us Brits.

^I laughed...

I haven't been there for decades myself and have never actually lived there, but they were not assumptions. I've merely conveyed the views of several good mates who were expat Brits - perhaps their comments were perpetuating a myth, because they would talk of the stark difference in class consciousness between here and the UK.

could be they were last in UK 30 years ago but in this day & for people 60 & under, we don't consider "our " class. It doesn't hold us back what our "class" may be considered to be by that small percent who still think there is a class divide. Really, we aren't all sitting around in our cloth caps drinking tea from leaf scraps eating bread & drippin, whilst toffs in top hats have crumpets & Darjeeling at the Ritz

Okay, well, since you say 'Really'...

raaaarleeee:D

Gordon Brown has quite a soft Scottish accent. I don't think he would have got to where he got to (albeit a bit under the weather today) with a broad Billy Connolly Glaswegian accent. That is just because I am a wee Edinburgh snob at heart!!!!!

Gordon Brown has quite a soft Scottish accent. I don't think he would have got to where he got to (albeit a bit under the weather today) with a broad Billy Connolly Glaswegian accent. That is just because I am a wee Edinburgh snob at heart!!!!!

hey...in Scotland it ain't where yer from it's which soccer team ye support...me, I'm Celtic as my ex grew up Irish catholic in East Glasgow...onna train headed to Glasgow Central from south of the border an' sum dude was babbling on in a dialect I had never heard before...the ex was passed out from drinkin' or else she could have interpreted...

or, ye could end up in the east midlands where everyone calls you 'duck'; but not just a simple 'duck'; more like 'me duuuu...ck'...

onna power station construction site in Abu Dhabi I was with a third party inspector, Eddy from east Glasgow...we saw another scot with a blue shirt on and gave him hel_l the rest of the day...Eddy sez as he hurls an empty plastic water boddle at the unfortunate: 'I like throwin' boddles...especially at folks with blue shirts on...'...

scottish sectarian violence in the arabian desert...

New recruits at Sandhurst (THE officers training camp not just for the British army) are first taken to a room where they have to prectice three words.

Air

Hair

Lair

and when they can say them flawlessly they can say........

Air hair lair..........welcome to Sandhurst.

Anyway Boo, you forgot the wippet, ferrets, pidgeons and mushy peas.

As for bread and dripping, I preferred it on toast myself.

I can say those three words perfectly- If i have to. Like saying vase vause or vaz

I like my scottish irish accent.

Toots i am a Hearts supporter. and say vazzz

Gordon Brown has quite a soft Scottish accent. I don't think he would have got to where he got to (albeit a bit under the weather today) with a broad Billy Connolly Glaswegian accent. That is just because I am a wee Edinburgh snob at heart!!!!!

I can just imagine if the opposition were giving him curry during question time: PM Billy - 'If ye don't pull ye head in, I'll gee ye the jaggy bonnet, Jimmy!'

I called the cat Jimmy - As in "see you jimmy" and he has lived up to his name!!!

New recruits at Sandhurst (THE officers training camp not just for the British army) are first taken to a room where they have to prectice three words.

Air

Hair

Lair

and when they can say them flawlessly they can say........

Air hair lair..........welcome to Sandhurst.

Anyway Boo, you forgot the wippet, ferrets, pidgeons and mushy peas.

As for bread and dripping, I preferred it on toast myself.

Oh, hello.

Personally I prefer me drippin' on a thick doorstep, 'cos if yer toast it, most of it melts and runs down yer weskit.

I'm orf to Landon next week on biserniss. Can anyone tell me if they all still wear Bowler hats and carry Umbrellas?

Cheers Ping. I better get off to the Bowler Hat Souk sharpish. Someone said it was left after the Camel Souk and just before the carpet Souk.

It is acceptable to wear a long nightie with dishcloth and fanbelt.

But make sure it reaches the ankles (preferably covers the thongs) and make sure the fanbelt is in place, or you may be mistaken for OBL.

It is acceptable to wear a long nightie with dishcloth and fanbelt.

But make sure it reaches the ankles (preferably covers the thongs) and make sure the fanbelt is in place, or you may be mistaken for OBL.

I think in less than 50 years, you may not be far off the mark with that one as a form of regular attire in the UK, Humph

It is acceptable to wear a long nightie with dishcloth and fanbelt.

But make sure it reaches the ankles (preferably covers the thongs) and make sure the fanbelt is in place, or you may be mistaken for OBL.

I think in less than 50 years, you may not be far off the mark with that one as a form of regular attire in the UK, Humph

I have been in business meetings in UK where half the participants were in Arab dress. Granted, the business was Arab-based projects, but this was not the case when I first set out in civil engineering.

It is acceptable to wear a long nightie with dishcloth and fanbelt.

But make sure it reaches the ankles (preferably covers the thongs) and make sure the fanbelt is in place, or you may be mistaken for OBL.

I think in less than 50 years, you may not be far off the mark with that one as a form of regular attire in the UK, Humph

I have been in business meetings in UK where half the participants were in Arab dress. Granted, the business was Arab-based projects, but this was not the case when I first set out in civil engineering.

I attend regular meetings in London with Arabs (usually the ones that I advise and work with over here) but whenever they go to London, they only take suits.

^And bowler hats and umbrellas...

It is acceptable to wear a long nightie with dishcloth and fanbelt.

But make sure it reaches the ankles (preferably covers the thongs) and make sure the fanbelt is in place, or you may be mistaken for OBL.

I think in less than 50 years, you may not be far off the mark with that one as a form of regular attire in the UK, Humph

Ah but Tescos have banned the nightie and jimjams.

I kid you not! People in the UK actually go shopping in their night clothes . Unfortunately those that do are of the physique where we might wish the burqa was a mandatory dress code.