By SWLondonder
December 5 2019, 07.25
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Boris Johnson has banked a win double just seven days before the General Election – though he may not want to collect the awards.
The prime minister lifted both the foot in mouth and phrase of the year prize at the Plain English Awards, which celebrate the best and worst use of the English language by public figures and organisations.
Johnson – who is running for reelection in Uxbridge and South Ruislip – is actually three-time winner of the prize, last winning three years ago with his unsinkable quote: ‘Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a Titanic success of it’.
This year his unfulfilled promise that he’d ‘rather be dead in a ditch’ than ask for a Brexit extension was recognised, beating rival silly quotes from Emma Watson, Joey Essex, Diane Abbott and Richard Madeley.
The prime minister was also recognised for the phrase ‘Get Brexit Done’ which narrowly beat ‘It is what it is’, made famous by this summer’s series of Love Island on ITV.
Donald Trump edged out the Labour Party for best social media fail. They tweeted ‘Happy St George’s Day’ 24 hours too early but the US president has a rich seam off Twitter gaffes to choose from and meeting the ‘Prince of Whales’ proved too strong a contender.
The awards, sponsored by insurance comparison website Confused.com, also revealed phrases that most annoy the British public with ‘no offence but’, ‘at the end of the day’ and ‘think outside the box’ topping the list.
