I think it has positive connotations, but it's *ALSO* a word that is used by the BBC a *LOT*. A quick google for site:bbc.co.uk reform gives results like "Currency reform may unsettle North Korean leadership", "lobby group urges reform on transmission charges", "David Cameron: Public sector reform cannot be delayed", "NHS Confederation says health reform 'could shut hospitals'"
So while it may have positive connotations in general, when used by the BBC in other circumstances it's used as if it's a neutral term. I don't think one can say that 'banking reform' or 'NHS reform' are less partisan subjects than electoral reform, and I don't think the AV referendum should be made a special case.
I agree with that too. It seems very suspicious that AV would be singled out for this. Possibly people should be complaining about _other_ uses of the word "reform" too.
Quite so. In a non-political context I would consider reform to be generally a positive thing, but these days you have to look at the context pretty closely to know one way or the other - it's just another weasel word to be bandied about, like 'efficiency'. What the BBC is quite frankly borderline suspicious though and very odd indeed.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
andrewducker) wrote2011-02-09 03:54 pm
no subject
So while it may have positive connotations in general, when used by the BBC in other circumstances it's used as if it's a neutral term. I don't think one can say that 'banking reform' or 'NHS reform' are less partisan subjects than electoral reform, and I don't think the AV referendum should be made a special case.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject