UK Civil servants have axed the word ‘Christmas’ from a proposed government campaign, for fear the term will offend minorities.
British civil servants have apparently embraced their inner Scrooge, vetoing the use of the word ‘Christmas’ from being used in a coronavirus testing drive aimed at students, arguing that the use of the term runs the risk of offending minorities within the country.
The campaign, which reportedly would have revolved around ministers using the slogan “Don’t take COVID home for Christmas,” is part of a larger government effort to limit the spread of the Chinese coronavirus after two cases of the Omicron variant were discovered on-shore.
‘We have been advised by Cabinet Office that we should not use the word Christmas – as the Government campaign needs to be inclusive and some religions don’t celebrate Christmas,” an email seen by The Mail on Sunday read. “The other option was ‘festive season’ which keeps the emotional motivation.”
“We have gone with ‘Don’t take COVID-19 home for the holidays’ – as it links to school and university Christmas holidays,” the email continued. “The alliteration with ‘home’ and ‘holidays’ scans well and is memorable.”
Despite the politically correct alliteration, this suggestion was also shot down in a follow-up email sent by a different British bureaucrat.
“We don’t refer to Christmas as the holidays (that’s an Americanism),” the email read. “Please can we say, ‘Don’t take Covid-19 home’.”
Conservative MP Saqib Bhatti lambasted the decision to remove the mention of Christmas from the campaign.
“As a Muslim, I find it ridiculous we can’t enjoy this special time of year. I look forward to showing my new son his first Christmas tree. The idea you can’t mention Christmas is completely ridiculous,” Bhatti said.
“It’s a time to celebrate, whatever your background. It’s part of the British culture I love. It’s the celebration of all cultures that makes this the most welcoming country in the world.
“I’m proud of that and proud to celebrate Christmas. The Blob needs to stop waging war on Christmas and get on with delivering for the British people,” Bhatti concluded.
The British government is not unique in waging a woke war on Christmas traditions this year, with a short film produced by the Norwegian postal service seeing Santa fall in love with another man.
The advert — which British left-wing newspaper The Guardian has called “heartwarming” — follows St Nick and his new love interest, Harry, who at one point tells Santa: “All I want for Christmas is you.”
The film ends with the pair passionately embracing with a kiss.
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